Midfielder Grayson Barber, a member of the Sporting KC Academy from 2015-2017, enjoyed a standout collegiate career at Clemson University from 2018-2020. The playmaker amassed 13 goals and 18 assists in 49 appearances across three seasons, leading Clemson to the 2019 NCAA Tournament quarterfinals and the 2020 ACC Championship.
COLLEGE
Born and raised in central South Carolina, Barber recorded a goal and two assists during his freshman campaign at Clemson before breaking out as a sophomore in 2019. He tallied 10 goals and nine assists en route to All-ACC Second Team honors as the Tigers posted an 18-2-2 record and finished one game short of the Men’s College Cup.
As a junior in 2020, Barber and Clemson were crowned winners of the ACC Championship with wins over Virginia Tech, Virginia and Wake Forest. Barber bagged two goals and led the nation with seven assists, helping Clemson to a No. 1 ranking in the final United Soccer Coaches poll of the season. He saved his best performances for the end of the year, setting an ACC Championship record with four assists in the tournament.
ACADEMY
Before arriving at Clemson, Barber starred for the Sporting KC Academy and was named to the United Soccer Coaches Youth Boys All-America Team at the end of 2017. He moved from South Carolina to Kansas City to begin his Academy journey in 2015 and made nearly 60 appearances in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy over the next three seasons. He also featured for the United States at the youth international level, training with the U-17s in 2016 and joining the U.S. U-17 Residency Program the following spring in Bradenton, Florida.
