Sam Cronin

Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia
Citizenship: USA
College: Wake Forest
Birth date: December 12, 1986
Acquired: Colorado traded allocation money for Cronin in a deal completed January 19, 2015, with San Jose Earthquakes.

MLS CAREER

2016

• In his eighth season in MLS, Cronin wore the captain’s armband in his second season with the Rapids.
• Made his 200th MLS appearance in the opening game of the 2016 season, a 1-0 loss at San Jose Earthquakes.
• Played over 2,000 minutes for a fifth season in a row.
• His only goal of the season came in the 1-1 home draw with Philadelphia Union on May 28.
• Started the first 31 games, but then missed the 2-1 home win over San Jose (10/13) due to yellow card accumulation.
• Made 33 appearances (all starts) in 2016. Only once in his previous seven seasons in MLS had he bettered both appearances and starts, when he started all 34 games for San Jose Earthquakes in 2013.
• Named to the MLS Team of the Week (Week 20, following the 1-1 home draw with FC Dallas (7/23).
• Voted Players' Player of the Year for 2016.

2015

• Was one of five players to sport the captain's armband in 2015, having arrived during the offseason from San Jose Earthquakes.
• His Rapids debut came in the home opener against New York City FC (3/21) and would be the first of three successive starts. Cronin's season stalled when he sustained a concussion for the first time in his career, forcing him to miss the next three outings.
• Cronin picked up the most bookings he had ever collected in a single season (9), while his red card at Sporting Kansas City (10/21) meant he sat out the last game of the campaign to keep him on 199 career appearances.
• A mix of injury and suspension led Cronin to register just 26 appearances, which is the lowest return since 2010, but 2015 will be best-remembered for a second-half showing in the MLS All-Star Game - his first such appearance.
• His one goal of the year looked to be enough to secure a point late on in the home game with Portland Timbers (5/30), only for the visitors to grab victory with a winner in stoppage time.

2014

• Started in 30 of his 31 appearances for the San Jose Earthquakes.
• Logged a total of 2,627 minutes and scored two goals on the season.

2013

• Voted Earthquakes Most Valuable Player by media, coaches and teammates.
• The only San Jose player to start every one of the team’s 34 regular season games, scoring two goals and adding four assists.
• His goal against the Colorado Rapids was the first game-winner of his career.
• Made his 100th career MLS start on March 16 against the Columbus Crew at Crew Stadium

2012

• Started in 30 of his 31 appearances, logging a total of 2,578 minutes
• Had his first two-assist game against Toronto, the club that selected him No. 2 overall in the 2009 MLS SuperDraft.
• Scored the equalizer for the ‘Quakes in a 4-3 win over LA Galaxy in late June.

2011

• Started 22 of 27 appearances for the Earthquakes, recording two assists.

2010

• Acquired by San Jose from Toronto in exchange for allocation money
• Made San Jose debut against Real Salt Lake on July 21.
• Started in 16 of 17 appearances for the year

2009

• Selected by Toronto as the second overall pick of the 2009 MLS SuperDraft out of Wake Forest.
• Started 26 of 27 games played, logging 2,363 minutes for third highest on the team.
• Scored first professional goal in a 2-1 home victory against New York.

INTERNATIONAL

• Earned two caps for the U.S. Men’s National Team, 90 minutes against Haiti in Gold Cup group play in 2009, and as a substitute against Mexico that same year.
• Participated in a U.S. National Team training camp in January of 2011.

COLLEGE

• Scored 10 goals and contributed four assists in 24 games for Wake Forest University in his senior year.
• Named a finalist for the Hermann Trophy.
• Selected to the NSCAA and College Soccer News first team All-America squads.

YOUTH

• Attended Mt. Tabor High School in Winston-Salem, N.C. and was named a 2003 NSCAA youth All-American.

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