Austin FC announced today that the Club acquired defender Chris Applewhite on loan from Nashville SC through June 2027, in exchange for $50,000 in 2026 General Allocation Money (GAM). The loan agreement includes a purchase option.
“Chris is a highly rated prospect at the center back position and we’re excited to welcome him to Austin,” said Austin FC Interim Head Coach Davy Arnaud. “He is coming off an excellent tournament with the U.S. U-20 team, and we hope to foster his continued development within our environment over the next year.”
This past summer, Applewhite captained the U.S. U-20 Youth National Team at the Concacaf U-20 Championship. He played in five matches, three of which were shutout wins, and scored a goal in the semifinals against Costa Rica to help the team reach the tournament final.
Applewhite, 19, is a native of Alexandria, Virginia. He joined the Nashville SC Academy as a young player and made his MLS NEXT Pro debut in 2024 for Nashville’s affiliate Huntsville City FC, totaling 31 matches across the last three seasons. He appeared in his first career MLS match on April 19, 2025, and played four more MLS games for Nashville during that season in addition to two U.S. Open Cup matches.
Applewhite will occupy a Supplemental slot on the Austin FC roster for the duration of his time on loan.
Transaction: Austin FC acquires defender Chris Applewhite on loan from Nashville SC through June 2027, in exchange for $50,000 in General Allocation Money. The agreement includes a purchase option.
