Wednesday morning: What's in the news ...

• by Soccer America , Feb 25, 2020

1. The Columbus Crew has granted naming rights to the new training facility it is building to Columbus-based OhioHealth. The OhioHealth Performance Center, which will open in 2021 on the site of the Crew’s existing stadium, will house all Crew soccer operations for the first team and academy. It will have two first-team natural grass fields, supported by hydronic heating and SubAir systems, one natural grass field and artificial turf for academy use; and a seasonal bubble over the stadium field.

2. Reign FC has handed 2019 NWSL Rookie of the Year Bethany Balcer to a three-year contract with a team option for a fourth year. Until this year, the NWSL contracts were for one year with an option for the second year. Balcer became the first player from an NAIA school to sign an NWSL contract when Reign FC drafted her out of two-time national champion Spring Arbor University, and she led Reign FC in scoring with with six goals and two assists.

3. The 2020 Development Academy championships will be held July 9-12  at the Swope Soccer Village in Kansas City, Missouri. Final fours will be held for boys in the U-15, U-16/17 and U-18/19 age groups as well as for girls at the U-15, U-16 and U-17 age groups. For the first time, there will be distinct U-16 and U-17 girls age group championships. Swope Soccer Village is the home of Sporting Kansas City's academy program.