COMMERCE CITY, Colo. — Colorado Rapids and MLS NEXT Pro announced today that Rapids Director of Player Personnel and Rapids 2 General Manager Brian Crookham has been named the 2025 MLS NEXT Pro Executive of the Year. Crookham won the award for the first time after being nominated for the second time in his four seasons as the lead decision maker for Rapids 2.
“I am honored to represent the club with this award,” said Crookham. “The commitment from ownership and our senior leadership to the player development space, paired with our coaching and support staff’s execution in the player development process, makes this recognition possible. We look forward to continuing to leverage the excellent opportunities that have been provided to us through our participation in MLS NEXT Pro.”
Crookham earns the award following an impressive 2025 season that saw his Rapids 2 side win the Western Conference and make the club’s first MLS NEXT Pro Cup appearance. After finishing the regular season third place in the west with 51 points, Colorado began their playoff journey ready to match up against some of the league’s top sides. Rapids 2 made their way through Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 and The Town FC before their match against Minnesota United FC 2 in the Western Conference Final at DICK’S Sporting Goods Park. The club came out on top in the contest, earning their first trophy since entering the league in its inaugural season in 2022. Colorado eventually fell in the league final in a penalty shootout following a tightly contested match that ended 3-3, with two of the goals coming from James Cameron and Mamadou Billo Diop, who were both recent additions to the club ahead of the 2025 season.
“We’re delighted to see Brian honored as the MLS NEXT Pro Executive of the Year,” said Colorado Rapids President Pádraig Smith. “His dedication to shaping a competitive team and, even more importantly, fostering an environment where our players and staff can thrive, reflects everything we value as a club. The impact of his work over the past few years makes him a truly deserving winner of this award.”
The trophy-winning season this year for Crookham and Rapids 2 was a continuation of the club's top play since entering the league in its inaugural season back in 2022. In Rapids 2’s second season in 2023, the club shined in MLS NEXT Pro, finishing the year atop both the Western Conference and the entire league at the end of the regular season. The group’s 66 points through 28 matches marks the most of any team in a regular season campaign in the league’s four-year history. Despite not making it past the Western Conference final, Rapids 2 clearly became a proving ground where young talent could thrive and continue their development through the club’s player pathway.
Since joining the club in 2007, Crookham has played a crucial role in the club’s youth development system and player pathway. Under his leadership, the club’s player development has taken major strides into becoming a fully integrated structure where players have the ability to enter as a young player and pursue their dream of one day playing for the Rapids First Team through the MLS Homegrown Player program.
Crookham is also a major stakeholder in the club’s yearly MLS SuperDraft process. Along with the rest of the Rapids scouting and support staff, he has ensured that the club is a major player in the draft year in and year out. The results of that process were on full display this season at the MLS NEXT Pro level, with Rapids 2 receiving over 8,000 minutes played from players selected in the SuperDraft during the 2025 regular season.
