Issac Heffess saw his name flash across the screen in the 2026 Major League Soccer SuperDraft. In the third round, the North Carolina State defender and high school alumnus was picked 79th by the Columbus Crew.
Heffess began his soccer journey at the age of five in a recreation league before playing for the Brookline travel soccer team until seventh grade. Later, he played for local Massachusetts clubs Valeo FC, NEFC, and New England Surf. Heffess joined the Warriors boys varsity soccer team (BVS) as a sophomore, having not participated in Warriors soccer during his freshman year.
Heffess said that BVS had a massive impact on his soccer career.
“That was the first time I’d played with older guys who were three or four years older than me, and it set me up to be able to interact with teammates at different stages of my career,” Heffess said.
BVS alum and current Sacred Heart University men’s soccer player Rafael Matta ’22 said Heffess’s playing style focused on the fundamentals of the sport.
“He always stood out as a player because of his consistency, even when we were really young,” Matta said. “His game is not necessarily flashy or aggressive. But, if you stop and pay attention to him playing, you’ll see that he does everything right.”
According to BVS head coach Kyle Beaulieu-Jones, his coaching philosophy is identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the team and working to best showcase those strengths on the pitch. Beaulieu-Jones said Heffess is a hardworking and humble individual.
“He was incredibly talented, but he would never go out and say that he was going to play Division I or boast about any of the awards that he had gotten,” Beaulieu-Jones said. “He just really loved soccer and loved being with his teammates. His desire to compete and have fun every day brought up the level of his teammates’ playing ability and made practice more competitive.”
In his senior year at the high school, the Warriors defeated the Newton North Tigers 2-1 in double overtime and were crowned the MIAA Division I State Champions. Heffess was an integral part of the team, as he recorded the winning goals in both the semi-final and final games.
Warriors soccer alumnus Oscar Kulkarni ‘23 said he had a great experience playing striker alongside Heffess.
“Striker was not really a position I’d ever played before. My job was to be a relentless presser,” Kulkarni said. “During the playoffs, he was dangerous. He created chances faster than everyone else, and he’d also create opportunities for me. He was selfless. It was nice to have someone like him.”
Heffess tallied 12 goals and 10 assists across his three seasons. For his phenomenal performances during his time on varsity soccer, he was named Team MVP and Athlete of the Year for the high school. Heffess was also All-State and All-Conference, Boston Globe All-Scholastic, Boston Herald All-Scholastic and Boston Globe Athlete of the Year.
Upon graduation, Heffess committed to play for the University of New Hampshire before transferring to North Carolina State for his redshirt sophomore season, where he delivered standout performances, leading to his selection to the Columbus Crew.
Heffess said training and competing with professional athletes on the Columbus Crew is a distinct experience from high school and collegiate soccer.
“I’m enjoying my time here so far. Training is obviously at a higher level, but the biggest shift from college is that college is nonstop and athletic. Whereas in pro, it’s more technical. Definitely, the players are much more experienced, so they know how to slow the game down and take care of the ball. The drill is similar in length, but everything is specific to the next game and purposeful. There is no wasted drill,” Heffess said.
Heffess said Warriors soccer will forever resonate with his soccer career.
“There is a perception that players who play high school aren’t as good soccer players, and they can’t make it. That’s not true,” Heffess said. “It’s absolutely possible to play high school soccer and be successful. I wish good luck to the Warriors soccer team next season.”
