MADISON, Wis. - Forward Madison FC today announced the signing of former UW-Madison star, Drew Conner. The 28-year-old midfielder from Cary, Ill. will join the Flamingos ahead of the 2022 season, pending league and federation approval.

“Drew has invaluable professional experience in MLS and USL, experiences that will add great value to our team,” Director of Soccer Operations and Development Keith Tiemeyer said. “In addition to his pro experience, I am personally excited to bring Drew back to Madison where he was previously an influential part of the UW Badgers Soccer program.”

Conner’s professional soccer career started with the Chicago Fire Academy, spending five seasons training and tailoring his skills with them. The former Gatorade Boys Soccer Player of the Year was heavily recruited nationwide and ended up choosing to attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Conner thrived at UW-Madison, earning All-Freshman and Second-Team All-Big Ten honors before ending his senior season ranked as the 17th best player in the Big Ten.

Following his collegiate success, Conner was signed to a homegrown player contract with the Chicago Fire. He was immediately loaned to Chicago’s USL Championship affiliate Saint Louis FC for the 2016 season. Conner returned to the Fire for the 2017 season, making his MLS debut on March 4th, 2017 against the Columbus Crew. Conner was released by the Fire following the 2018 season, totaling 32 appearances for the club. Conner then played for Indy Eleven in the USL Championship in 2019, making 28 appearances and scoring 3 goals. Conner most recently played for NISA's Chicago House AC, a side he captained in 2021.