Year Founded: 1999
Affiliation: Columbus Crew
2016 record, place in Conference Standings: 6-17-7, 13th place in the Eastern Conference
2016 playoffs: Did not qualify
Key additions: Trey Mitchell, Kay Banjo, Taylor Washington
Key departures: Zack Steffen, Willie Hunt, Sergio Campbell
Projected/ideal starting XI: Trey Mitchell; Taylor Washington, Ryan Adeleye, Jamal Jack, Rich Balchan; Marshall Hollingsworth, Stephen Okai, Mike Green, Kenroy Howell; Corey Hertzog, Kevin Kerr
After a crazy season in 2016 that saw the team crash out of the US Open Cup early, go through a massive amount of player and front office turnover, and finish the year with one of the worst records in recent history, the Hounds have nowhere to go but up.