CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Wednesday, February 25, 2026) — Crown Legacy FC today announced the signing of defender Ashton Kamdem to an MLS NEXT Pro contract through 2026, with Club options through June 30, 2029. Kamdem most recently featured with the Akron Zips, where he enjoyed a four-year collegiate career.
“Ashton joins us with a wealth of experience at the collegiate and MLS NEXT Pro level,” said Assistant General Manager Bobby Belair. “Ashton is a mature player and character who will be incredibly valuable to our squad as we enter our fourth season in MLS NEXT Pro. We look forward to working with Ashton and furthering his development in our professional pathway.”
Kamdem, 21, made 76 appearances throughout his time with Akron, scoring three times and adding 12 assists. As a senior, Kamdem was a Third-Team All-BIG EAST and United Soccer Coaches All-Region selection after anchoring a backline that recorded a league-best 13 shutouts and limited its opponents to a league-low 0.71 goals per game average.
Prior to leaving for the Zips, Kamdem came up through FC Cincinnati’s Academy system and eventually earned an opportunity with the club’s NEXT Pro side in 2022, where he made 13 appearances and tallied over 1,000 minutes of professional experience.
Name: Ashton Kamdem
Transaction: Crown Legacy FC signs defender Ashton Kamdem to an MLS NEXT Pro contract through 2026, with Club options through June 30, 2029.
Position: Defender
Height: 5’10”
Birthdate: 3/2/2004 (21)
Hometown: West Chester, Ohio
Previous Club: University of Akron
Crown Legacy FC Roster as of February 25, 2026:
Goalkeeper (1): Jahiem Wickham
Defenders (3): Ashton Kamdem, Assane Ouedraogo, Willian Sangoquiza
Midfielders (4)\\\\: Aron John, Daniel Longo, Erik Peña, Andrej Subotić
Forwards (4)\\\\: Rodolfo Aloko, Barzee Blama, Nathan Richmond, Emmanuel Uchegbu
