Orlando City SC head coach Jason Kreis has been nominated for election to the National Soccer Hall of Fame Class of 2017 in the Player category. Voting will remain open for three weeks. Induction ceremony details will be announced at a later date.
Kreis, 44, began his professional career in 1995 and was selected 43rd overall by the Dallas Burn at the MLS Inaugural Draft. Kreis played nine seasons for the Burn, now FC Dallas, and led the team in scoring six times and still holds the Dallas franchise records for games played (247), games started (227), minutes played (20,290), goals scored (91) and assists (65). Kreis was the 1999 MLS MVP and MLS Best XI selection and a seven-time MLS All-Star.
In 2004, Kreis became the first player in expansion side Real Salt Lake history and became the first player in league history to score the inaugural goal for two teams, having scored Dallas’ first goal in 1996. Kreis played three seasons for RSL before being named head coach in May 2007, eventually leading the franchise to its first MLS Cup championship in 2009 and to another Final in 2013. Kreis’ No. 9 was the first MLS player number to be officially retired on July 4, 2011.
In all, Kreis played 305 games over a 12-year MLS career. His 108 goals rank sixth all-time. The Nebraska native made his U.S. national team senior debut in 1996 and scored one goal in 14 appearances.
After coaching one season at New York City FC, Kreis was hired by Orlando City on July 19 and won his Orlando City debut coaching debut on July 31. Under Kreis, the Lions are 11-10-5 and currently rank fourth in the Eastern Conference.
Eligible voters include all past and present full Men’s and Women’s National Team coaches, all active Major League Soccer (MLS) and National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) coaches with a minimum of four years experience in either league, MLS and NWSL management representatives, MLS and NWSL Commissioners/Executive Director, U.S. Soccer CEO/Secretary General, U.S. Soccer President, designated media members, and all Hall of Famers.
To be eligible for election as a Player, an individual must be retired for at least three full calendar years, but for no more than 10 full calendar years, and have either: 1) Played in at least 20 full international games for the U.S.; if played prior to 1990, the game requirement is reduced to 10 games, or 2) Played at least five seasons in an American first-division professional league and named to a postseason league All-Star team at least once. Voters may submit up to 10 names per ballot and Players must appear on at least 66.7 percent of ballots to be elected.