French-Senegalese manager Wilfried Nancy has been named the 2024 Sigi Schmid Major League Soccer Coach of the Year after guiding Columbus Crew to a historic season.
Under the 47-year-old’s leadership, the Crew set club records with 66 points and 72 goals, finishing second in the Eastern Conference.
Despite an early playoff exit to the New York Red Bulls, Nancy’s performance during the regular season earned him the honor.
Nancy’s Crew ranked second in the league with 19 wins, scored the second-most goals (72), and allowed the fourth-fewest goals (40).
They also topped MLS in possession, averaging 59.6%, and recorded 12 clean sheets. Key players like Cucho Hernández, Diego Rossi, and Darlington Nagbe played pivotal roles in an exciting, high-scoring team.
This marks Nancy’s first Coach of the Year win after finishing as a finalist in 2022 and 2023.
He is the first Crew manager to win the award since Sigi Schmid in 2008, when he led the team to an MLS Cup title.
Nancy was born in Le Havre to a Guadeloupean father and Senegalese-Cape Verdean mother.
