Taking the reins of the Grand Canyon men’s soccer program required a coach who could truly understand the progression, position and purpose of the program.

Mike Kraus has spent the past decade in the Phoenix area fostering talent for Real Salt Lake, an academy that grew to become one of the nation’s largest under the leadership of Brent Erwin, former GCU football assistant coach. Kraus took note of the transformation of the GCU men’s soccer program that he takes charge of as the new head coach.

Just as Kraus was at the forefront of Real Salt Lake Academy’s rise, he aimed to re-enter the elite college men’s soccer scene as a coach after playing for Creighton Powerhouse and playing at Major League Soccer. His decade-long journey as a well-connected club coach culminated in four years as academy manager of RSL-Arizona and led to coaching an emerging national power at GCU.

“It’s definitely not a rebuild,” Kraus said of Lopes. “I’m coming to take us to another level, hopefully. I bring my experience and expertise in player development and push players to that next level. These players level up when the team is successful. The team succeeds and the individuals are recognized. It’s going to be about team performance and pushing that.

Kraus inherits a program that has reached three of the last four NCAA tournaments, one of only 24 schools to do so nationally. GCU has gone 23-6-1 over the past two seasons and was one of six colleges to have multiple first-round picks in this year’s MLS SuperDraft.

“Mike is one of MLS Development Academy’s most respected coaches and is nationally known for his great football spirit, elite training and player development ability, as well as being the one of the brightest coaching minds in the country”, GCU Vice President of Athletics Jamie Boggs mentioned. “He is a perfect fit for GCU as he is strong in his faith and has been rooted in this community as a longtime resident of Arizona. We welcome Mike, his wife Mollie and their children to the Lopes family.

Kraus, 37, moved to the Valley in 2010 when his wife, Mollie, became an anesthesiologist for the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix. Determined to start a coaching career after serving as a volunteer assistant for Creighton, Kraus applied monthly with RSL for almost a year while coaching a youth club before becoming RSL’s assistant coach amid the rapid rise of the MLS academy.

He was inspired by his passion for football which was formed in his hometown of Memphis, where he played at Christian Brothers High School as the fifth of six children. Even then, in his club teams, Kraus voluntarily stepped out of the roster to take charge of training when his coach was working on another pitch.

Kraus continued a faith-based education at Creighton, where he made the NCAA Tournament Playoffs every year, reached the College Cup quarterfinals twice, and was named Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year. in 2006.

“I have a close relationship with faith and my family, and I appreciate that,” Kraus said. “Being here on campus and talking to university leaders and seeing other like-minded people who have these values ​​in their hearts was something that was familiar to my family, where I’ve been and the path I have taken in my life.

Kraus was the 48th pick in the 2007 MLS Draft by Kansas City, where he made 11 appearances in three years and set a record for fastest career opening goal scored (48 seconds) in 2009.

GCU is giving him the chance to return to competition for a city and region, as the psychology graduate did at Creighton and Kansas City.

“When you play for your college, especially one like GCU which is the only DI men’s soccer program in the state, you’re playing for your college, your city, your family, and the state,” Kraus said. “There is a lot of pride that can go into it. I am grateful to President Brian Mueller and Vice President Athletics Jamie Boggs for the occasion.

With RSL, Kraus developed players for professional and college opportunities as an assistant before becoming a manager who deepened club-academy relationships through a growing pool of American players. He has also been part of the U17 national team coaching staff since 2020.

“I know the stakeholders within all of the MLS academies across the country,” Kraus said. “I will definitely use these relationships to my advantage and the benefit of our staff to continue to work with MLS clubs who feel their players are not quite ready to go professional at this time, but they want follow them. , want them in a positive environment and want them in a winning culture. GCU is the home for them.

With Phoenix’s ever-growing soccer community, few realize the talent potential of the GCU team and a sequel to GCU Stadium more than Kraus. He wants to continue integrating state players into a wide-reaching and diverse roster to provide role models for youth in the metro area, which includes his three sons: Jack, 8, Finn, 6, and Dominic, 4. .

“When this position became available, it really struck me that everything I’ve had and everything I’ve done may have led to this,” Kraus said.