Ezra Hendrickson, one of the most decorated men's soccer student-athletes in Drake history, was named the head coach of Chicago Fire FC Wednesday, Nov. 24, the Club announced.
Hendrickson became Chicago Fire FC's 10th head coach after spending the past 13 seasons coaching domestically and internationally. Most recently, Hendrickson was the lead assistant coach for the reigning MLS champions Columbus Crew (2019-2021), where he helped the team capture the 2020 MLS Cup and the 2021 Campeones Cup.
Hendrickson's journey to the top spot at Chicago Fire FC began when the St. Vincent and the Grenadines native joined the fledgling soccer program at Drake University under head coach Bob Wood. Hendrickson was one of the top players in the nation from 1990-93, earning All-America honors and three-straight All-Missouri Valley Conference selections. He was also a two-time MVC All-Tournament honoree that scored a school-record 43 goals and 95 points in three seasons.
He was drafted in the first round of the 1997 MLS Supplemental Draft by the New York/New Jersey Metro Stars.
As a player, Hendrickson won eight trophies during 12 MLS seasons (1997-2008). The former defender was an MLS champion with three different teams (2002, 2004, 2008) and won three MLS Supporters' Shield trophies (1998, 2002, 2008), the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup (2001) and the Concacaf Champions' Cup (2000).
Overall, Hendrickson made 266 MLS regular-season appearances (225 starts) for the New York MetroStars (1997), LA Galaxy (1997-2003), Dallas Burn (2003), DC. United (2004), Chivas USA (2005-06) and Columbus Crew (2006-08). Before joining MLS, Hendrickson spent time with the Des Moines Menace (1994) and the New Orleans Riverboat Gamblers (1995-1996).
Following his playing career, Hendrickson made a seamless transition into coaching with Seattle Sounders FC, serving as an assistant coach from 2009-2014. During this stretch, Hendrickson helped lead the Sounders to four Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup titles (2009, 2010, 2011, 2014) and an MLS Supporters' Shield (2014) before becoming head coach of Seattle Sounders FC 2 in the USL Championship from 2015-17.
Additionally, while working with the Sounders, Hendrickson served as an assistant coach for Saint Vincent and the Grenadines during 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying (2015-18). Following his time in Seattle, he joined the staff in Los Angeles in 2018, spending one season as an assistant coach for the LA Galaxy, before joining the Crew on July 3, 2019.
