Reaching for the Stars: Alumni Network Drives Cleveland Astra and Professional Soccer Renaissance

A massive sports transformation is unfolding right outside the gates of Ohio City, and its principal architects share a familiar alma mater. Under the leadership of Cleveland Soccer Group Co-Founder and CEO Michael Murphy ’96, professional outdoor soccer is coming to Northeast Ohio with the men’s squad, Forest City Cleveland, and the newly christened women’s professional team, Cleveland Astra.

For Murphy, launching Cleveland Astra, named after the Latin word for stars, is a direct extension of the Jesuit values he absorbed at Saint Ignatius High School. It represents a deliberate effort to establish a local North Star for elite female athletes, bridging a critical developmental gap via the Women’s Premier Soccer League (WPSL). 

It is also, Murphy is quick to point out, a serious business opportunity. Women’s sports have grown faster than almost any other category in American sport over the past several years—in attendance, viewership, valuations, and sponsor dollars—and WPSL Pro—and Cleveland Astra specifically—were created to meet that demand. “There is real mission in this, and there is a real market,” Murphy says. “We want Cleveland on the right side of that curve.”

For Murphy, this heavy lift is incredibly personal. "I am looking at my refrigerator as I say this. I have three girls," Murphy shares. "If you are going to invest time and resources into something that takes away from the family, you want to make sure everyone is proud of what you are doing. Creating these pathways for local girls is an endeavor worthy of pursuit."

The project serves as a masterclass in alumni collaboration, featuring prominent leadership roles from brothers Nolan ’95 and Brendan ’97 Gallagher and Noah Toumert ’12. Long before joining the foundation, Toumert was a standout on campus, playing for Head Soccer Coach Mike McLaughlin ’85 and winning a national championship as a junior.

"One of the best parts about Ignatius is the location and how it opens your eyes to the city," notes Toumert, Executive Director of the Foundation. "When I played, we were national champions. Yet, none of our players were actually from the city because programming is traditionally built in the suburban ring."

Toumert attributes his desire to break this barrier directly to his high school soccer experience under Coach McLaughlin. "Coach McLaughlin’s formation of students went far beyond tactical development on the pitch," Toumert emphasizes. "He deliberately formed us to be men of faith and service to the world. That lesson stayed with me."

Upon returning to Cleveland, Toumert channeled that exact formation into establishing a youth refugee initiative called Corner 65.

"Noah was running Corner 65 almost entirely for refugees," Murphy notes. "Soccer was their common denominator, but they lacked field time. So, we collaborated on putting in urban mini-pitches."

Joining them on the advisory board is Justin Morrow ’06, whom Murphy calls "the best soccer player to come out of Cleveland in the last 30 years." After playing for Coach McLaughlin, Morrow became an MLS All-Star for Toronto FC and a U.S. National Team player. Morrow founded Black Players for Change within the MLS to combat systemic racism, earning him the MLS Humanitarian of the Year award.

"Justin has been a fantastic resource. Through his own nonprofit work, he has been heavily involved in mini-pitch efforts that support soccer access," Murphy says. "Now, we have three up and running: at Urban Community School, Halloran Park, and Lonnie Burton Park. It is a lot of quiet, behind-the-scenes touching from Ignatius guys."

To secure support for a planned 10,000-seat South Gateway stadium downtown, Murphy drew on his film background, deploying high-impact trailers directed by filmmaker Bob Ruggeri ’94. Meanwhile, attorney Tony Coyne ’78, former chair of the Cleveland Planning Commission, serves as legal counsel, managing complex real estate partnerships to transition the stadium site from the state to the Cleveland Metroparks.

The stadium is uniquely engineered to serve the local community, situated at the southern terminus of the city's Shore-to-Core-to-Shore plan and Dan Gilbert’s Bedrock development. Designed with four locker rooms to seamlessly roll high school competitions back-to-back, the stadium already holds letters of intent from local programs and the MAC conference.

McLaughlin himself sees the moment in a wider frame. “For those of us who’ve spent decades around the game, this moment feels different,” he says. “When the World Cup comes around, you’re reminded that soccer isn’t emerging in this country anymore—it’s arrived. To see Cleveland building toward pro soccer in the middle of that feels significant.”

This story originally appeared in the Spring 2026 issue of the Saint Ignatius magazine. You can read the full issue here.