Andy Craven

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

2015 (Seattle): Craven was added to the First Team roster on June 27 after an impressive professional debut with Sounders FC 2. After signing with S2 following Sounders FC preseason training camp, Craven started 12 of his 14 appearances in USL regular season action. By season’s end, Craven’s five goals in league play tied for second-most on the team and his five assists paced the club, despite playing in only the first half of the campaign. Additionally, Craven chipped in two more goals in Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup play. Craven made his debut with the First Team in 30 minutes of action against the Portland Timbers on June 28, becoming the first Sounders FC 2 signing to record MLS minutes. He made two more league appearances in the following two matches – 12 minutes against D.C. United and 25 minutes at Chicago Fire – before ending his season due to a leg injury sustained at training.

INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE

Craven was a member of the United States U-17 Residency Program for five semesters, and participated in the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup for the U.S.

COLLEGE EXPERIENCE

Craven spent three years at the University of North Carolina, scoring 21 goals and recording 11 assists in the 2012 and 2014 seasons (he sat out 2013 due to an injury suffered in preseason). As a senior in 2014, Craven was one of three finalists for the MAC Hermann Trophy after starting all 22 games for the Tar Heels, scoring 15 goals (tied for the national lead) and leading the country with eight game-winners. Craven also tallied five assists in 2014 as he led UNC to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament, earning NSCAA All-America First Team and All-ACC First Team honors. He scored a hat trick against Georgia Southern in the regular season, and another in the NCAA Championship First Round. Craven’s performance saw him earn the Soccer News Net College Boot as Player of the Year. In 2012, he led the Tar Heels with six goals and five assists, starting 18 of 22 games with three game-winning strikes. He scored one goal and had two assists in a 4-0 win over Boston College, which earned him College Soccer News National Player of the Week honors. Prior to UNC, Craven spent two seasons at the College of Charleston from 2010-2011. As a freshman, he was named Southern Conference Freshman of the Year after recording four goals and one assist, starting 11 of the 18 games he appeared in. In 2011, Craven scored six goals in eight matches for the Cougars before suffering an injury that ended his season early. Despite the injury, he still earned Southern Conference Second Team honors.

YOUTH EXPERIENCE

Craven attended Glynn Academy in Brunswick, Georgia, where he was a two-time NSCAA All-American.

ACQUIRED

Signed to a new contract on December 21, 2015. Originally added to First Team roster on June 27, 2015 from S2 after being selected by Sounders FC in the Third Round (48th overall) in 2015 MLS SuperDraft.