Steve Cronin

College and amateur

Cronin was born in Sacramento, California. He played college soccer at Santa Clara University from 2001 to 2003. As a freshman, Cronin started 10 games as a goalkeeper and six in the field, finishing the season with a 0.79 goals against average. For the next two years, Cronin remained solely in goal, starting 27 matches and being named first-team All-West Coast Conference as a junior.

Professional

Following a tremendous performance with the Under-20 national team in the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship, Cronin signed a Project-40 contract with MLS. He was selected 10th overall in the 2004 MLS SuperDraft by his hometown San Jose Earthquakes. Unfortunately for Cronin, San Jose had two very competent goalkeepers in front of him, 2003 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Pat Onstad and Jon Conway, and the young keeper did not get any playing time in the 2004 season. Cronin was traded to Los Angeles Galaxy in the 2005 off-season in a four-player deal and started several games for the Galaxy. He became the Galaxy's starting goalkeeper after Joe Cannon was traded to the San Jose Earthquakes in January 2008. Cronin signed a multi-year contract extension with Galaxy after the 2008 MLS season, but transferred to Portland Timbers in February 2009. Cronin joined Major League Soccer side D.C. United on 9 October 2009 on loan from Portland until the end of the 2009 MLS season. His first appearance for DC United was an October 17, 2009 start at home against…