COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Columbus Crew announced that the club has signed Campbell University defender Jake Morris through the 2023 season with options in 2024 and 2025.
The Crew acquired Morris' MLS Homegrown Priority from Seattle Sounders FC in exchange for $50,000 in General Allocation Money for 2022 with potential for more based on performance-based incentives.
Morris played at Campbell from 2020-21, making 28 appearances with seven goals and nine assists.
Before joining the Camels, Morris played for Tyler Junior College, where he made 45 appearances while tallying 12 goals and eight assists.
“We would like to welcome Jake to the Crew,” said Columbus Crew President & General Manager Tim Bezbatchenko. “Jake is a young player whose addition to our roster will help increase the depth of our backline. We look forward to incorporating him into our squad and working with him as he continues his professional development.”
Before playing in college, Morris was part of the Sounders Academy from 2016-2018.
Morris joins his brother Aiden Morris on the Crew roster, with the two becoming the 19th pair of brothers to play together in MLS.
Crew players are set to report for physicals and testing on Jan. 16 before departing for training camp in Fort Lauderdale, Florida through Jan. 28.
The team will train at Historic Crew Stadium in early February before traveling to Charleston, South Carolina.
Columbus is set to open the 2022 Major League Soccer season against Vancouver Whitecaps FC at Lower.com Field on Feb. 26.
Following the opener, the Crew hit the road and travels to San Jose to face the Earthquakes on March 5.
For the 2022 season, all teams will play a 34-game regular-season schedule - 17 home games, 17 road games - facing each of their conference opponents two times and playing eight non-conference opponents once.
