COLUMBUS, Ohio. – UC Davis men's soccer sees another alum sign to a professional side as Maximilian Arfsten has reached agreement with the Columbus Crew of Major League Soccer (MLS), announced by the club on Tuesday afternoon.
 
Arfsten was selected 14^th overall by the Crew in the 2023 MLS Superdraft, securing a first-team roster spot after his brilliant showing in the 2022 MLS NEXT Pro season with San Jose Earthquakes II, in which the Fresno, Calif. native provided an attacking return of nine goals and six assists.
 
The forward has signed a contract through the 2024 season with options for 2025 and 2026.
 
 
"Max's hard work and attitude along with his ability to make an impact in the attack did not go unnoticed throughout preseason, and we are excited to see him earn a spot on our First Team roster," said Crew President and General Manager Tim Bezbatchenko. "Led by Corey Wray, the draft team including Marshall Bushnell and Nate Horton put in the work behind the scenes in preparation for the SuperDraft. They identified Max as a talented player who had a strong start to his professional career in MLS NEXT Pro. We are looking forward to working with Max as he continues his development as a player in a first team environment." -via ColumbusCrew.com
 
The former Aggie midfielder made 21 starts and appeared in 24 matches for San Jose Earthquakes II and made an immediate impact in the final third with 15 total goal contributions. Arfsten highlighted his exceptional season by netting two braces during his campaign, scoring twice against Colorado on May 15 before turning in another two-goal performance against Minnesota on Sept. 18.
 
Arfsten enjoyed a terrific career at UC Davis, as he was named to the 2019 Big West Conference All-Freshman Team before his brilliant final season in 2021 when he was named Big West Offensive Player of the Year. He finished second in the conference with eight goals while matching a league-best seven assists.