Colorado Rapids Soccer Club announced today that Fran Taylor has been named assistant general manager. Taylor will report to Executive Vice President & General Manager Pádraig Smith and will assist in all soccer-related functions, including oversight of the club’s data and analytics program.

“In an off-season in which we’re entirely overhauling the way we conduct ourselves on the soccer side, we’re absolutely delighted to welcome Fran to the front office,” said Smith. “He’s a sharp mind, and his experience at Arsenal – both with the scouting and coaching staffs – will play a crucial role in bringing our vision for the future of this club to life.”

Taylor joins the Soccer Operations staff after spending the past eight years as VP of Analytics Application at StatDNA, a sport-centric software development and analytics company that was acquired by Arsenal Football Group in 2013.

A graduate of Occidental College in 2009 with a BA in Economics, Taylor was a collegiate soccer standout for the Tigers, winning a pair of First Team All-Conference honors, before joining the Chicago-based company in September of that year.

“Being part of the club’s new vision was something that attracted me from the start,” said Taylor. “I believe in what Pádraig and Coach Hudson are trying to build here and I am honored to have been selected for this position. I cannot wait to get started.”