The 2011 Columbus Crew season was the club's 16th season of existence and their 16th consecutive season in Major League Soccer, the top flight of soccer in the United States and Canada. The first match of the season was on March 19 against D.C. United. It was the third season under head coach Robert Warzycha.
Background
Review
The Crew opened its 2011 campaign with a Champions League quarterfinal fixture against fellow MLS competitor, Real Salt Lake. The match, the first leg of a quarterfinal series, was at Columbus Crew Stadium on February 22, 2011 and ended in a 0-0 draw. Columbus was trying to advance past the Quarterfinal stage after falling to Toluca 5-4 on aggregate last season.
On March 1, Columbus traveled to Rio Tinto Stadium and fell to Real Salt Lake by a score of 4-1, thus ending the Crew's run in the 2010–11 CONCACAF Champions League.
Two and a half weeks later, Columbus opened up its Major League Soccer campaign by traveling to Washington, D.C. to take on D.C. United on March 19. The club's MLS home opener was one week later, when the Crew hosted Red Bull New York on March 26.
Roster As of September 3, 2011.
Technical Staff
Non-competitive Preseason The Crew started preseason in Columbus and played games in Arizona, Tennessee and Georgia before returning to Ohio. The Crew brought in the following trialists during training camp: Caleb Patterson-Sewell, Mark Blades, Neri Bandiera, Pat McAfee, Ray Burse, Alex Fraga, Alex Riggs, Josh Gardner and Eric Gehrig.
Unsigned draft picks Rich Balchan, Justin Meram, Cole Grossman, Bernardo Añor, Ben Sippola and Andy Adlard also joined the team for preseason.
Midseason
Competitive Overview
MLS
Standings
Eastern Conference
Overall table
Results summary
Results by round
Match results
MLS Cup Playoffs
Wildcard Match
CONCACAF Champions League
Quarterfinals
U.S. Open Cup
With a fifth-place overall finish last season, the Crew secured direct qualification into the third-round proper of the U.S. Open Cup.
Reserve League Eastern
Pos Club Pld W L T GF GA GD Pts1Columbus Crew Reserves (C)109102910+19272D.C. United Reserves105142114+7193New England Revolution Reserves104511422−8134New York Red Bulls Reserves92521020−1095Toronto FC Reserves92521515086Philadelphia Union Reserves10271917−87 Match results
Statistics Appearances and goals Under "Apps" for each section, the first number represents the number of starts, and the second number represents appearances as a substitute.
|colspan=12 align=center|Players who left Columbus during the season:
Disciplinary record No. Pos. Name MLS MLS Playoffs U.S. Open Cup CONCACAF Champions League Total 1 GK William Hesmer2000000020 2 DF Rich Balchan1000000010 3 DF Josh Williams0000000000 5 DF Danny O'Rourke1000010011 6 MF Tony Tchani0000000000 7 MF Bernardo Añor2000000020 9 FW Justin Meram2000000020 10 FW Andrés Mendoza1000000010 11 MF Dilly Duka2000000020 12 MF Eddie Gaven0000000000 14 DF Chad Marshall2000000020 15 MF Kevin Burns4000000040 16 DF Eric Gehrig1000000010 17 MF Emmanuel Ekpo8200000082 18 MF Robbie Rogers2000000020 19 MF Cole Grossman0000000000 20 FW Emilio Rentería0000000101 21 DF Sebastián Miranda5010002080 22 MF Dejan Rusmir4000000040 23 DF Korey Veeder0000000000 24 DF Ben Sippola0000000000 25 GK Alex Riggs0000000000 26 DF Julius James7000000070 27 FW Aaron Horton0000000000 28 MF Santiago Prim0000000000 29 DF Shaun Francis1000000010 30 GK Andy Gruenebaum0000000000 31 MF Josh Gardner0000001010 32 FW Tom Heinemann4000000040 33 FW Jeff Cunningham0000000000Players who left Columbus during the season: 4 DF Andy Iro1100000011 6 MF Andy Adlard0000000000 13 MF Léandre Griffit0000000000 27 DF Kwaku Nyamekye0000000000 34 GK Ray Burse0000000000 34 GK Chris Konopka0000000000
Clean sheets No. Name MLS MLS Playoffs U.S. Open Cup CONCACAF Champions League Total Games Played 1 William Hesmer8000833 25 Alex Riggs000000 30 Andy Gruenebaum200023Players who left Columbus during the season: 25 Ray Burse000112 34 Chris Konopka000000
Reserve League Statistics Appearances and goals Under "Apps" for each section, the first number represents the number of starts, and the second number represents appearances as a substitute.
Disciplinary record No. Pos. Name MLS Reserve League Total 6 MF Andy Adlard0000 7 MF Bernardo Añor0000 - MF Dominic Aracri0000 - FW Jhonny Arteaga0000 - MF Javier Alvial0000 - FW JJ Bain0000 2 DF Rich Balchan0000 15 MF Kevin Burns0000 - MF Tom Catalano1010 - MF Khai Celestin0000 - MF Walter Chevez0000 33 FW Jeff Cunningham0000 - MF Chris Davis1010 - FW George Davis0000 17 MF Emmanuel Ekpo1010 29 DF Shaun Francis0000 31 MF Josh Gardner0000 16 DF Eric Gehrig0000 - DF Greg Gehrig0000 - DF Esteban Granados0000 13 MF Léandre Griffit0000 19 MF Cole Grossman1010 30 GK Andy Gruenebaum0000 - GK Chase Harrison0000 32 FW Tom Heinemann1010 27 FW Aaron Horton1010 4 DF Andy Iro1010 - DF Mike Jones0000 34 GK Chris Konopka0000 10 FW Andrés Mendoza0101 9 FW Justin Meram1010 5 DF Danny O'Rourke0000 - FW John Owoeri0000 28 MF Santiago Prim0000 20 FW Emilio Rentería1010 25 GK Alex Riggs0000 18 MF Robbie Rogers0000 - FW Arnhold Rivas0000 22 MF Dejan Rusmir3030 24 DF Ben Sippola0000 - GK Alex Stout0000 6 MF Tony Tchani0000 - MF Julius Ubido0000 23 DF Korey Veeder0000 3 DF Josh Williams0000
Clean sheets No. Name MLS Reserve League Total Games Played 30 Andy Gruenebaum338 - Chase Harrison000 34 Chris Konopka001 25 Alex Riggs004 - Alex Stout000
Transfers
In Pos.PlayerTransferred fromFee/notesDateSource FW Tom Heinemann Charleston Battery Signed via discovery January 6, 2011 DF Kwaku Nyamekye Harvard Crimson Drafted in round 4 of the 2010 MLS SuperDraft January 24, 2011 FW Jeff Cunningham FC Dallas Selected in Stage 2 of the 2010 MLS Re-Entry Draft January 28, 2011 DF Korey Veeder Crystal Palace BaltimoreAllocated via weighted lottery February 15, 2011 DF Rich Balchan Indiana Hoosiers Drafted in round 1 of the 2011 MLS SuperDraft February 17, 2011 FW Justin Meram Michigan Wolverines Drafted in round 1 of the 2011 MLS SuperDraft February 17, 2011 MF Cole Grossman Duke Blue Devils Drafted in round 2 of the 2011 MLS SuperDraft February 17, 2011 MF Bernardo Añor South Florida Bulls Drafted in round 3 of the 2011 MLS SuperDraft February 17, 2011 DF Ben Sippola Butler Bulldogs Drafted in round 2 of the 2011 MLS Supplemental Draft February 21, 2011 DF Andy Adlard Indiana Hoosiers Drafted in round 3 of the 2011 MLS Supplemental Draft February 21, 2011 MF Josh Gardner Carolina RailHawks FC Signed via discovery February 21, 2011 GK Alex Riggs Missouri State Bears Signed via discovery February 22, 2011 DF Julius James D.C. United Signed via discovery February 28, 2011 MF Dejan Rusmir FCV Farul Constanța Signed via discovery March 9, 2011 DF Eric Gehrig Chicago Fire Premier Signed via discovery February 21, 2011 MF Santiago Prim San Lorenzo de Almagro Signed via discovery April 26, 2011 FW Aaron Horton Louisville Cardinals Signed to a homegrown contract May 17, 2011 MF Tony Tchani Toronto FC Traded for Andy Iro and Léandre Griffit July 15, 2011 DF Carlos Mendes New York Red Bulls Selected in Stage 1 of the 2011 MLS Re-Entry Draft December 5, 2011 GK Matt Lampson Ohio State Buckeyes Signed to a homegrown contract December 15, 2011
Loans in Pos.PlayerParent clubLength/NotesBeginningEndSource GK Ray Burse MLS Pool Short term agreement February 22, 2011 March 15, 2011 GK Chris Konopka MLS Pool Short term agreements July 26, 2011September 11, 2011 July 31, 2011September 15, 2011
Out Pos.PlayerTransferred toFee/notesDateSource FW Steven Lenhart San Jose Earthquakes Traded for a 1st round draft pick in the 2011 MLS SuperDraft and allocation money January 13, 2011 DF Kwaku Nyamekye Retired Placed on waivers February 28, 2011 MF Andy Adlard Retired Placed on waivers June 30, 2011 DF Andy Iro Toronto FC Traded with Léandre Griffit for Tony Tchani July 15, 2011 MF Léandre Griffit Toronto FC Traded with Andy Iro for Tony Tchani July 15, 2011 MF Josh Gardner Montreal Impact Selected in round 7 of the 2011 MLS Expansion Draft November 23, 2011 MF Santiago Prim Rampla Juniors Placed on waivers November 23, 2011 MF Dejan Rusmir Olympiakos Nicosia Placed on waivers November 23, 2011 MF Kevin Burns Carolina RailHawks Option declined November 29, 2011 FW Jeff Cunningham Comunicaciones F.C. Option declined November 29, 2011 FW Andrés Mendoza Atlante F.C. Option declined November 29, 2011 GK Alex Riggs St. Louis FC Option declined November 29, 2011 DF Ben Sippola Torslanda IK Option declined November 29, 2011 MF Robbie Rogers Leeds United F.C. Contract expired December 31, 2011 DF Emmanuel Ekpo Molde FK Contract expired December 31, 2011
MLS Draft picks
Draft picks are not automatically signed to the team roster. Only those who are signed to a contract will be listed as transfers in. The picks for the Columbus Crew are listed below: Round Pick Player Position College 112 Rich BalchanDFIndiana115 Justin MeramFWMichigan228 Cole GrossmanMFDuke348 Bernardo AñorMFSouth Florida
Round Pick Player Position College 230 Ben SippolaDFButler348 Andy AdlardMFIndiana
Stage Round Pick Player Position Team 119 Carlos MendesDFNew York Red Bulls
Awards +MLS Team of the WeekWeekStartersHonorable MentionsOpponent(s)Link 2 Chad Marshall New York Red Bulls 3 Chad Marshall FC Dallas 4 Chad Marshall Chivas USA 5 Dilly Duka Robert Warzycha Sporting Kansas City 7 Emilio Rentería Eddie Gaven William Hesmer Vancouver Whitecaps FC 8 Chad Marshall Seattle Sounders FC 10 Tom Heinemann Portland Timbers 11 Andrés Mendoza Chivas USA 12 Justin Meram Rich Balchan New York Red Bulls 13 Julius James Real Salt Lake Chicago Fire 14 William Hesmer Bernardo Añor Rich Balchan Andrés Mendoza Houston Dynamo 15 Rich Balchan Andrés Mendoza Tom Heinemann Colorado Rapids 17 William Hesmer Robbie Rogers Vancouver Whitecaps FC 18 William Hesmer Julius James San Jose Earthquakes 19 Chad Marshall Los Angeles Galaxy 20 Robbie Rogers Julius James Chad Marshall Real Salt Lake 22 Julius James Robbie Rogers Dilly Duka New England Revolution 23 Julius James William Hesmer Chad Marshall Robbie Rogers Philadelphia Union 29 Eddie Gaven Sporting Kansas City D.C. United 31 Andrés Mendoza Dilly Duka Julius James New England Revolution 32 Dilly Duka Emilio Rentería Chicago Fire
MLS Player of the Week WeekPlayerOpponentLink 14 Bernardo Añor Houston Dynamo
MLS Save of the Week WeekPlayerOpponentLink 20 Andy Gruenebaum Chivas USA
Crew Team Awards Circle of Honor – Brian McBride Most Valuable Player – Chad Marshall Defensive Player of the Year – Julius James Scoring Champion – Andrés Mendoza Man of the Year – Jeff Cunningham Coach's Award – Eddie Gaven Newcomer of the Year – Sebastián Miranda Goal of the Year – Jeff Cunningham Humanitarian of the Year – Tom Heinemann Hardest Working Man of the Year – Robbie Rogers Comeback Player of the Year – Danny O'Rourke Fan's Choice – Emilio Rentería Jim Nelson Fans of the Year – Randy Sims & Alice Potter Academy U15/U16 Player of the Year – Zach Mason Academy U17/U18 Player of the Year – Connor Klekota Academy U19/U20 Player of the Year – Matt Walker
References