COLUMBUS – The Columbus Crew today announced that the Crew Soccer Foundation is set to host the Kirk Urso Memorial Match and the Crew Soccer Foundation Golf Classic in 2014. The match is scheduled for Tuesday, August 19, 2014 at 7:00 p.m. ET at Crew Stadium against Urso’s alma mater, the University of North Carolina. The Fourth Annual Golf Classic is scheduled for Monday, August 11 at Pinnacle Golf Club in Grove City, Ohio with proceeds again benefitting the Kirk Urso Memorial Fund.



“We are excited to bring the Kirk Urso Memorial Match to Crew Stadium in 2014,” said Crew Soccer Foundation Vice President Jamie Ryan. “Crew fans will be able to show their support for Kirk’s memory and the cause of combatting youth heart health issues.”



Tickets to the Kirk Urso Memorial Match at Crew Stadium are priced at $10 in advance via Ticketmaster, scheduled to go on-sale to the general public on Friday, May 2. Tickets are also available for $15 on the day of the match at the box office. Parking is just $6. In addition to the match, a silent auction provides additional items for sale, available online and at the game.

TICKETS NOW ON SALE



The inaugural Kirk Urso Memorial Match against the University of North Carolina on February 24, 2013 raised nearly $30,000 for the Crew Soccer Foundation’s Kirk Urso Memorial Fund. The proceeds from the match – generated from ticket sales, donations, merchandise sales, raffle and auction – items helped the Crew eventually reach its fundraising goal of $100,000 to develop and support youth heart health research and programming. The funds raised are a core focus of the foundation and a way to honor the late Crew midfielder Kirk Urso, who unexpectedly passed away at the age of 22 from a congenital heart defect. The accomplishment set a record for funds raised for a single Foundation initiative within in a calendar year and delivered on a pledge made the day the Urso Fund was created two months after his passing in October of 2012.



Further details on times, pricing and day-of events for the Golf Classic are set to be announced at a later date.



The Crew is offering several Kirk Urso items available for purchase at all 2014 Crew home matches in the Crew Gear Store, including Urso wristbands and #15 pins with the proceeds benefiting the Kirk Urso Memorial Fund. In addition to those items, any jersey that is personalized with Urso’s name and number will have a portion of the proceeds from the personalization going to the Kirk Urso Memorial Fund.



Urso was originally selected by the Crew in the first round (No.10 overall) in the 2012 Supplemental Draft, and appeared in six games (five starts) with one assist last season before being sidelined by injury. He was a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he made four consecutive NCAA Men’s College Cup Final Four appearances and captained the team to the 2011 NCAA National Championship. Urso was admired for his unwavering work ethic and steadfast character both on and off the field. In 2013, Crew defender Eric Gehrig was honored with the Kirk Urso Heart Award.



More information on the Crew Soccer Foundation is available at CrewSoccerFoundation.org and information on the Kirk Urso Memorial Fund is available at http://www.thecrew.com/ursofund.