PRONUNCIATION
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Updated through June 29, 2019
2019 (Columbus): Zack Steffen made 13 regular-season appearances (all starts) in 2019. He made his 2019 regular-season debut against the New York Red Bulls (March 2). Steffen recorded his first shutout of the 2019 season in a road match against the New England Revolution (March 9) and recorded his first penalty kick attempt save of 2019. He also recorded a secondary assist on Gyasi Zardes’ second goal, against the Revs. Steffen recorded his second clean sheet of the 2019 regular-season in a home match against FC Dallas (March 16, which earned him a spot on MLSSoccer.com’s Team of the Week). He did not make an appearance against the Philadelphia Union (March 23) due to being listed out with a right knee injury. Steffen returned to the lineup and recorded his third consecutive regular-season shutout in a home match against Atlanta United (March 30, which earned him a spot on MLSSoccer.com’s Team of the Week). He made one save in a home contest against the New England Revolution (April 6) en route to his fourth consecutive shutout of the 2019 regular-season. His efforts against the New England Revolution earned him a spot on MLSSoccer.com’s Team of the Week. Steffen’s shutout streak ended at 499 minutes. spanning from the seventh minute of a home match against the New York Red Bulls (March 2) to the 55th minute of a road contest against the Montreal Impact (April 6). The streak is the second longest regular-season shutout streak in Crew SC history. Steffen played his final match in Black & Gold during a home contest against New York City FC (June 1). Steffen did not make an appearance for Crew SC during the 2019 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, due to being on international duty with the U.S. Men’s National Team for the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
2018 (Columbus): Zack Steffen made 29 regular-season appearances (all starts) for Crew SC this season and recorded 12 wins and 12 shutouts. He made two saves and kept a clean sheet during the first match of the season on the road against Toronto FC (March 3), and he recorded three saves in the first home match of the regular season against the Montreal Impact (March 10) to get his second win. Against the Philadelphia Union (March 17), Steffen made three saves and earned a clean sheet in a 0-0 draw. Steffen earned a call-up to the U.S. Men’s National Team, registering a clean sheet during a friendly against Paraguay (March 27), and therefore did not make an appearance in Crew SC’s match against D.C. United (March 24). He returned to Crew SC’s starting lineup and made one save in a home match against Vancouver Whitecaps FC (March 31). Steffen made three saves in a home match against the New England Revolution (April 21), and he made one save in a home match against the San Jose Earthquakes (April 28). Steffen has recorded five consecutive shutouts in matches against Seattle Sounders FC (May 5), the Philadelphia Union (May 9), the Chicago Fire (May 12), the New England Revolution (May 19) and Sporting Kansas City (May 27), making 17 saves over that span. Steffen did not make an appearance in home matches against Toronto FC (June 2) and the New York Red Bulls (June 9) because he was named to the U.S. Men’s National team for friendlies against Ireland (June 2) and France (June 9). Against France, Steffen started and made seven saves to help secure a 1-1 draw. He returned to Crew SC for a home match against Atlanta United FC (June 13) and recorded one save. Steffen recorded a 525-minute shutout streak in regular-season action from the home match against the San Jose Earthquakes (April 28) to the home contest against Atlanta United FC (June 13). Steffen’s shutout streak is the longest in Crew SC history and the eighth longest in MLS history. He did not make an appearance in a road match against Los Angeles FC (June 23) or a home match against Real Salt Lake (June 30) after being listed as out with a left knee injury. He returned to the starting lineup in a road match against the LA Galaxy (July 7). He returned to the starting lineup in road matches against the LA Galaxy (July 7) and New York City FC (July 14). In a home match against Orlando City SC (July 21), Steffen recorded three saves en route to his seventh win of the season, and in a road match against the New York Red Bulls (July 28), he tallied four saves en route to his eighth win of the season. Steffen made a second-half appearance in goal in the 2018 MLS All-Star Game, making three saves in match action, his first All-Star appearance. The following week, Steffen recorded his eighth clean sheet of the season, making five saves in the 1-0 win against the Houston Dynamo (August 11). He made two saves in road matches against Atlanta United FC (August 19) and against the Chicago Fire (August 23). In a home match against New York City FC (September 1), Steffen made three saves en route to his 10th win of the season. Steffen made two starts for the U.S. Men’s National Team in friendlies against Brazil (September 7) and Mexico (September 11). Against Mexico, Steffen recorded his second clean sheet in his last three international matches. He recorded his ninth shutout of the regular season in a road match against FC Dallas (September 15), tying a single-season career high. In a home match against the Philadelphia Union (September 29), Steffen recorded his 10th shutout of the regular season, marking a new single-season career-high for clean sheets. He matched his 2018 MLS regular-season high in saves with six in a road match against the Montreal Impact (October 6). The following week, Steffen made five saves in a road match against Orlando City SC (October 21). He recorded his 12th win of the regular season in a home match against Minnesota United FC (October 28). Steffen made three appearances (all starts) in the Audi 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs. He started in an Eastern Conference Knockout Round match against D.C. United (November 1), making two saves during a penalty-kick shootout to help Crew SC advance to the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Steffen made three saves en route to recording his third MLS playoff clean sheet in Leg 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals at home against the New York Red Bulls (November 4). He started in Leg 2 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the New York Red Bulls (November 11). Steffen did not make any appearances in the 2018 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup after being called up to represent the U.S. Men’s National Team in a friendly against Ireland (June 2).
2017 (Columbus): Steffen made 34 appearances (all starts) this season and recorded 16 wins and nine shutouts, as well as recording 98 saves. He made his regular-season team debut as a starter in the Opening Match against the Chicago Fire (March 4). The goalkeeper earned his first regular-season win for the club at D.C. United (March 18), making three saves en route to recording his first regular season shut-out and earning MLSSoccer.com’s Team of the Week honors. Steffen made his first regular-season penalty kick save during a home match against Toronto FC (May 10) stopping an attempt by Jozy Altidore. He registered a secondary assist in a home contest against the Montreal Impact (June 24). Steffen stopped his second penalty kick of the season in a road contest against the Philadelphia Union (July 26). He started in the road match against Orlando City SC (August 19) and recorded seven saves setting his MLS career-high for saves in a single regular-season match while also reaching 75 saves in MLS and for Crew SC. Steffen earned his 15th win in a home match against D.C. United (September 30), setting the record for most wins by a Crew SC goalkeeper in his first year of play for the club. He started in a road contest against Orlando CIty SC (October 15), registering his 16th win and ninth shutout of the season, surpassing Steve Clark for most shutouts by a Crew SC goalkeeper in his first year of play for the club. Steffen made five appearances (all starts) in the Audi 2017 MLS Cup Playoffs, recording 19 saves, one win and two shutouts. He started in a Knockout Round against Atlanta United FC (October 26), recording an MLS career-best eight saves and his first Audi MLS Cup Playoffs shutout. As a result of Steffen playing, starting and recording a shutout, he became the youngest Crew SC goalkeeper to achieve each feat at 22 years, 207 days old.
2016 (Columbus/Pittsburgh): Steffen signed with Columbus Crew SC as a Discovery Signing on July 22, 2016. He made his matchday 18 debut with the club by serving as Steve Clark's backup at Toronto (July 31). He was loaned to the Pittsburgh Riverhounds on a game-by-game basis on August 13 and made his first appearance for the club that day with a start and a victory while making six saves against Bethlehem. Recorded a clean sheet for the Riverhounds at Orlando City B (September 3). He continued as the starting keeper for Pittsburgh at Charlotte (September 10) and vs. Cincinnati (September 14), where he recorded another shutout. He was in the Crew SC matchday 18 as Steve Clark's backup at D.C. United (September 28) and was in the matchday 18 as Brad Stuver's backup at New York City FC (October 23). He did not make an appearance in the 2016 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
2015-16 (SC Freiburg): The goalkeeper remained with SC Freiburg II. He made his first career Regionalliga Südwest appearance and start on August 1, 2015 against Saarbrücken, keeping a clean sheet in a 0-0 draw. He would go on to make 14 appearances during the season, all starts, with three shutouts.
2014-15 (SC Freiburg): Steffen turned professional by signing with German club SC Freiburg on December 12, 2014. He spent the season with SC Freiburg II in the Regionalliga Südwest, where he made his first matchday 18 appearance on February 28, 2015 against Eintract Trier.
INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE
As of June 22, 2019
Steffen has earned 12 caps with the U.S. Men's National Team, making his debut as a substitute in a friendly match against Bosnia-Herzegovina on January 28, 2018. He then started in a friendly against Paraguay on March 27, 2018. He started in a friendly against France on June 9, 2018, registering seven saves en route to helping the U.S. earn a 1-1 draw. Steffen started in friendlies against Brazil on September 7, 2018 and against Mexico on September 11, 2018. Against Mexico, Steffen earned his second shutout victory for the Stars and Stripes. Steffen then started in a friendly against Colombia (October 11, 2018). Steffen made consecutive starts in friendlies against Panama (January 27) and Costa Rica (February 2), posting back to back shutouts. Most recently, Steffen made consecutive starts during the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup against Guyana (June 18) and Trinidad and Tobago (June 22), recording back to back clean sheets for the Stars and Stripes, and serving as the captain against Trinidad and Tobago.
A former U.S. youth international, Steffen played for the United States Under-23s in a friendly against England’s U-21s on September 3, 2015 in Preston, England. Prior to that, Steffen shined with the USA’s U-20s, for which he has earned 11 caps. He was the team’s primary goalkeeper at the 2015 CONCACAF U-20 Championship, where he helped the USA qualify for the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup. At that tournament, Steffen again was the primary goalkeeper as the USA advanced to the Quarterfinals. The goalkeeper also appeared for the USA U-18s. On May 16, 2016, Steffen was called-up by United States Men's National Team head coach Jürgen Klinsmann for a transitional camp.
COLLEGE EXPERIENCE
Steffen played for two seasons at the University of Maryland, playing every minute in goal for the Terrapins in 2013 and 2014. During his freshman season, Steffen made 76 saves and registered eight shutouts, earning ACC All-Freshman team honors as well as NCAA Championship Most Valuable Defensive Player recognition as Maryland finished as national runners-up. In 2014, he was named the Most Valuable Defensive Player of the Big Ten Tournament as he registered nine shutouts over the duration of the season.
Columbus Crew SC signed goalkeeper Zack Steffen as a Discovery Signing on July 22, 2016.
Name: Zack Steffen
Position: Goalkeeper
Height: 6’3”
Weight: 190
Born: April 2, 1995 in Coatesville, PA
Hometown: Downingtown, PA
Citizenship: United States
Acquired: Columbus Crew SC signed goalkeeper Zack Steffen as a Discovery Signing on July 22, 2016
Previous Experience: SC Freiburg (2014-2016)
PERSONAL
Steffen's family includes his mother Stefanie, stepfather Derek and father William as well as two sisters (Katy and Lexy) and two brothers (Benjamin and Colten). Away from the game, he loves to be near water and lists canoeing and swimming as hobbies. His favorite vacation spot is any beach, such as those found in North Carolina, Maryland or New Jersey. He also enjoys watching Netflix, including Modern Family and Breaking Bad among his favorites. He likes listening to hip-hop, alternative and indie music. Growing up, he looked up to Tim Howard.
