Dante Washington is getting another shot at major league soccer as special director for the Columbus Crew.
Former Radford University men’s soccer star Dante Washington was named Director of Team Strategic Partnerships and Business Development for the Columbus Crew, the MLS franchise announced Tuesday afternoon.
Washington spent six seasons with Crew SC, making 76 regular-season appearances (53 starts) while scoring 28 goals and providing 14 assists. Notably, Washington also helped the Crew win its first piece of silverware, the 2002 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
In his new role, Washington will be in charge of youth player development affiliation outreach, alumni relations for the Club, establishing a mentorship program for Crew SC Academy players and other business opportunities to connect with the community.
“We are pleased to announce that Dante Washington will be joining the Crew SC Front Office,” said Crew SC President and General Manager Tim Bezbatchenko. “Dante’s professional expertise along with his history with the Club make him a great addition to the Crew SC Front Office. He is a great ambassador for the sport in our community and we can think of no one better to serve as a mentor for Crew SC Academy players.”
The Radford Athletics Hall of Famer joins Crew SC after working for Nationwide Insurance as a Senior Consultant in Strategic Partnerships Business Development. During his time with Nationwide, Washington worked with multiple departments to launch different initiatives and assisted with relationship building efforts for sports groups in the portfolio.
During his 13-year professional soccer career, Washington spent six seasons with Crew SC, playing for the Crew during the Club’s inaugural season in 1996, before returning to play for the Black & Gold for the 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004 and 2005 seasons. A two-time MLS All-Star (1997-2000), Washington also played for FC Dallas (1996-1999) and Real Salt Lake (2005), finishing his career with 170 MLS regular-season appearances (113 starts), 52 goals and 32 assists.
Washington competed for the Highlanders from 1989-92 and led them to their first Big South title. He tallied 82 goals and an NCAA record 66 assists during his collegiate career. The Columbia, Md., native was a two-time All-American and earned NSCAA Academic All-America honors in 1992. At the international level, Washington earned six caps for the U.S. Men’s National Team, scoring two goals.
–RU Athletics
