Brad Stuver: Austin FC goalkeeper goes from overlooked to All-Star | OneFootball

By Jon Arnold

AUSTIN, Texas – Brad Stuver arrived in Austin as an unknown. He’ll leave a legend.

Well, that’s if he leaves.

The Austin FC goalkeeper didn’t used to stay in one place long. In 2013, he served as a pool goalkeeper for the league and ended that season working with five different teams. Then came stints in Columbus and New York City, but he still arrived in Austin having played fewer than a dozen MLS matches.

Undeterred by his past wandering, Stuver won the starting job during Austin FC’s inaugural 2021 season and has never relinquished it, becoming a fan favorite.

Hometown hero

Supporters who greet his saves with chants of “Stuuuuu” will see him in goal at Wednesday’s MLS All-Star Game against their LIGA MX counterparts (9 pm ET | Apple TV - Free), with Stuver juggling the roles of All-Star and host for his teammates in a place where he’s become an institution in a city full of them.

"Getting my first All-Star nod in Austin makes it even more special because I get to do it in front of friends and family," Stuver told MLSsoccer.com. "I get to do it in front of our amazing fans in our stadium. It makes it even more special for me to represent Austin FC in Austin because this community has kind of embraced us since day one.

"This feels like home for us. We can see ourselves staying in Austin long-term after I retire, and I hope I get to play out the rest of my career here."

Caring for community

Stuver's used to wearing many different hats. In addition to being the starting shot-stopper for Austin FC, Stuver and his wife Ashley are heavily involved in the Austin community.

After working with the Laundry Project during previous steps in Columbus and New York, the Stuvers extended that work to Austin and soon found a community of supporters eager to help with the mission of providing free laundry services in low-income areas.

He also sits on the board of Equality Texas Action, a nonprofit group that advocates for LGBTQIA+ Texans, serving as the group's vice chair.

“I get to come out here and kick a soccer ball for a living, and I get paid for it,” Stuver said. “So, any community that I’ve played in and communities I play in, I want to give back to embrace the culture and the community that allows me to live out a childhood dream.

“I just think it’s important, with the platform we have, that we use those platforms to speak out on things that are important to us.”

Going the extra mile

Beyond what he does on the field, the time Stuver dedicates to causes he cares about in the community makes him a beloved figure and arguably the first-ever Austin FC legend.

“It’s genuine interest and affection for people and wanting to be involved,” said Brad Tillery, who became acquainted with Stuver after launching a quirky (and ultimately successful) social media campaign to convince the team to release the inaugural goalkeeper kit in the club store.

“It’s unique, and I don’t think people really understand how unique Brad is from a professional athlete perspective in the way he dives into a community.”

That was on display in 2021 when Stuver’s wife reached out to Tillery’s wife, Kerry, and let her know Stuver was hoping to speak with her after the Laundry Project event. Ashley had seen Kerry’s social media posts about a rare brain condition she suffers from, and the goalkeeper wanted to speak with her about an event for a charity he was familiar with because of a family friend’s struggles with the same condition.

“Now, every fall we have a fundraising event and he’s out there helping us raise money,” Kerry said. “It’s not even just local stuff. It’s things he has a connection to, things both of them are passionate about. It’s literally anywhere they can help.”

The Tillerys say they’re not sure how the Stuvers manage their commitments, though Stuver noted he and Ashley have mastered the art of a shared calendar app and make time for fixed date nights in addition to his soccer work and what they do to help fellow Austinites.

Career year

Stuver’s efforts off the field come in parallel to the work he's doing on the field. After understanding how difficult it is to earn and keep a starting job in the league, he knows he needs to keep improving to hold the top spot.

Austin have allowed the fewest goals this season (24) in the Western Conference with Stuver backstopping the team. The goalkeeper is also top five in several advanced metrics that measure a goalkeeper’s skill relative to the shots faced, including a Post-Shot Expected Goals minus Goals Allowed number of +4.6, good for fourth in the league.

The improvement on the field, too, he attributes to the opportunity he got in Austin, making the most of a series of starts that turned into becoming a club icon.

“You could see in year one there were still some really big growing moments, but as a player over the last five years, I’ve tried to use the experience I’ve had and continue to get better every year,” Stuver said. “I think Austin has allowed me to showcase what I’ve been working on the past 13 years, but also helped me grow as a player. Ultimately, it leads to me being an All-Star this year.”

And to the fans at Q2 Stadium preparing to do what they always do Wednesday: Look at the 18-yard box and see someone they are represented by not only on the field, but in the community.

Someone who will be remembered in Austin for a very long time.

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