Eric Kronberg signed on as an assistant for the Pilots back in June of 2021, making this fall his first season on The Bluff.
"Eric comes highly recommended from colleagues around the country. He's passionate about teaching young people to become the best version of themselves," Portland head coach Nick Carlin-Voigt said. "He deeply valued his time in college and those transformative experiences taught him the value of being part of something bigger than himself. Eric knows what it takes to become a long-term MLS pro after a successful four-year college career. I'm excited to announce his addition as he transitions to our soccer culture here at Portland. I know our players will enjoy having Eric in the program."
Kronberg joins the Pilots after most recently serving as the goalkeeping coach for Portland Timbers 2, the USL affiliate of the Portland Timbers. Prior to that, Kronberg served as the goalkeeping coach at the academy for Sacramento Republic FC and as the head coach of U-15 squad. Kronberg also assisted with Sacramento's first-team goalkeepers.
The 38-year-old former keeper enjoyed a long 12-year career in Major League Soccer before turning to coaching. After playing at both Fresno State University and the University of California, he was drafted in the fourth round of the 2006 MLS SuperDraft by Sporting Kansas City where he made 25 appearances from 2006 to 2014. Kronberg was also a part of the roster that won the 2012 Lamar U.S. Open Cup and MLS Cup in 2013. Kronberg finished his professional career serving as a player-coach with the Montreal Impact from 2015 to 2017.
"The University of Portland has a rich history of producing successful teams and I am thrilled to be joining Nick and the Men's Soccer coaching staff," Kronberg said. "I am looking forward to developing top goalkeepers and hope to continue the long tradition of Pilots success."