HENDRICKSON NAMES BROWN, GONZALEZ ASSISTANTS: After one season as Chicago House AC head coach, Fire legend CJ Brown will return to the Fire’s technical area as one of new coach Ezra Hendrickson’s assistants.
“C.J. is a very good coach with an extensive amount of MLS experience,” said head coach Ezra Hendrickson. “He will be a great addition to the coaching staff and will play a key role in the development of our young players.”
Brown is the club’s all-time leader in appearances (372), starts (364) and minutes played (32,538).
“I am truly honored to be back with Chicago Fire and a part of Ezra Hendrickson’s coaching staff,” said Brown. “I am excited for Ezra. I know he has been working hard for this moment in his career. I am grateful to be a part of this journey with Ezra and the team. I will do all that I can to live out the Tradition, Honor, and Passion of this Club.”
On Friday, Hendrickson added Junior Gonzalez to his staff. Gonzalez has been with Hendrickson as a fellow assistant at LA Galaxy and at Seattle Sounders 2.
Another Fire legend, Frank Klopas, and goalkeeper coach Adin Brown will remain with the staff from last season. Klopas coached the club on an interim basis after Raphael Wicky’s sacking last September.
FIRE ADD SPENCER RICHEY: Adin Brown will have a new goalkeeper to work with in Spencer Richey who was picked up in free agency. Richey played with Seattle Sounders FC and Tacoma Defiance of the USL Championship last season. He also has had stints with Vancouver Whitecaps and FC Cincinnati.
Richey. 29, is under contact through 2023 with a club option for 2024.
RED STARS DRAFT: The Chicago Red Stars took part in the NWSL Draft on Saturday. With no first round pick this season, their first pick was in the second round. With the 18th overall pick (via trade with Washington), the Red Stars selected forward Ava Cook from Michigan State. At MSU Cook led the team in goals, assists, points, shots and game-winning goals. Cook was named Second Team All-Big Ten and United Soccer Coaches All-Region.
With the very next pick, the Red Stars selected midfielder Samantha Fisher from Notre Dame. Fisher started in 84 of 91 games for the Irish, scored 29 goals and tallied 15 assists.
Next, forward Sarah Griffith went 35th overall from Purdue. Griffith holds multiple records with the Boilermakers including most goals scored in a season (16), consecutive games with a goal (8 in 7-game stretch), shots in a season (101) and shots on goal for a season (56). In 2021, the Naperville native was named Big Ten Forward of the Year, All-Big Ten First Team, Big Ten All-Tournament Team, Academic All-Big Ten and was the team captain. Griffith helped lead the Boilermakers to their first NCAA tournament berth since 2009 last year, as well as the second-best record and second-most wins in program history.
Kayla McKeon, a midfielder from Arkansas went next with the 37th overall pick. McKeon was SEC all-tournament multiple times for the Razorbacks. Finally, with the 49th overall pick, the Red Stars selected Jayda Hylton-Pelaia from Arizona State. Prior to joining ASU, Hylton-Pelaia played at East Carolina where she started 55 of 56 games and was recognized as the AAC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year of the year. Hylton-Pelaia started 16 of ASU’s 19 games in 2021. She also represented Jamaica at the 2019 Pan-Am Games.
