Mr. Jed Zayner

Zayner, Brunner helping solidify Crew backline
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Columbus defender Jed Zayner had only started two games prior to this season.

Columbus defender Jed Zayner had only started two games prior to this season. (Otto Greule Jr./Getty)
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COLUMBUS -- The Columbus Crew media guide shows Jed Zayner started two of his eight games played over three injury-plagued seasons prior to 2009.
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Zayner, from Indiana, has already more than doubled his career games total with nine appearances and seven starts as injuries, suspensions and U.S. national team duty for captain Frankie Hejduk has created opportunities at right back.
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"I've been waiting my time," Zayner said.
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The clean sheet had extra meaning for Zayner and Brunner.
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Obviously it was Brunner's first with the Crew but Zayner had never started an MLS game that ended with a zero on the opponent's ledger.

"It's such a special meaning, especially being the first of the year," Zayner said.
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Despite the shutout, Zayner expects teams to continue to try and exploit the relative inexperience of him and Brunner.
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Sigi Schmid, Zayner's coach with the Crew his first three seasons, tested him when the Crew played Schmid's new club May 30 in Seattle.
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"I know Sigi was trying to take (Steve) Zakuani on me," Zayner said.
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Zayner is pleased but not surprised to get more minutes.
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We have the Champions' Cup, the Open Cup and injuries are going to happen," said Zayner.

The winners are as follows: Honda Most Valuable Player, Marcos Gonzalez; Defender of the Year, Marcos Gonzalez; Budweiser Golden Boot, Jason Garey and Joseph Ngwenya; Huntington Man of the Year, Ritchie Kotschau; Coaches Award, Ezra Hendrickson; Newcomer of the Year, Jason Garey; Sierra Mist Goal of the Year, Joseph Ngwenya; OhioHealth Comeback Player of the Year, Duncan Oughton; U.S. Soccer Foundation Humanitarian of the Year, Jed Zayner; Crew Soccer Foundation Crew Chiefs Hardest Working Man of the Year, Jacob Thomas; and Crew Fan of the Year, Kelly Brooks.
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JED ZAYNER - Crew U.S. Soccer Foundation Humanitarian of the Year

The U.S. Soccer Foundation is proud to present its Crew Humanitarian of the Year Award to defender Jed Zayner.Zayner has been a visible community ambassador for the Crew and MLS in his first professional season, giving freely of his time to make public appearances and lending his name and image to support worthy causes.Following a stellar three-year collegiate career at perennial national power Indiana University, he was selected by The Crew in the second round, No. 13 overall, of the 2006 MLS SuperDraft.Unfortunately, a season-ending knee injury suffered on April 4 derailed his rookie campaign before it even began, but he made his mark off the field with a commitment to community service.In addition to being one of the club's most positive and reliable representatives, Zayner has volunteered to serve as a celebrity spokesperson for Lacelet, a shoe accessory that raises awareness and funds for juvenile diabetes (http://www.lacelet.com).His active presence in his new community has also seen him visit periodically with pediatric hospital patients and work with area young people through a host of soccer camp, clinic and club coaching.

Although not personally affected by diabetes, Columbus Crew player Jed Zayner was touched by the story of a father's commitment to make a cure for type 1 diabetes "within reach" and he has stepped up to become a local celebrity spokesperson for Lacelet. "I am blessed to have a schedule that allows me to be involved with the community," Mr. Zayner said.

Mr. Zayner was selected by The Crew in the second round of the 2006 MLS SuperDraft, following a stellar collegiate career at perennial national power Indiana University. While there, he earned third-team All-American and first-team all-region honors and was named one of 15 semifinalists for the Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy (college soccer's Heisman). To view more information on Jed Zayner and the Columbus Crew, please visit www.thecrew.com