View source for Caleb Porter

{{short description|American soccer coach (born 1975)}}
{{Use American English|date=October 2017}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2022}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name     = Caleb Porter
| fullname =
| image = Caleb Porter Revolution Nashville 6.25.25-051.jpg
| caption = Porter in 2025
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1975|2|18}}
| birth_place = [[Tacoma, Washington]], United States
| height = {{height|ft=5|in=9}}
| position = [[Midfielder]]
| currentclub = 
| youthyears1 =   1994–1997
| youthclubs1 =   [[Indiana Hoosiers men's soccer|Indiana Hoosiers]]
|  years1 =   1998–1999
| years2 =  1999
| years3 =  1999–2000
|  clubs1 =   [[San Jose Clash]]
| clubs2 =  → [[Sacramento Geckos]] (loan)
| clubs3 =  [[Tampa Bay Mutiny]]
| caps1 =    4
| caps2 =  2
| caps3 =  7
| goals1 =  0
| goals2 =  0
| goals3 =  0
|  manageryears1 =   2000–2005
| manageryears2 =  2006–2012
| manageryears3 = 2011–2012
| manageryears4 = 2013–2017
| manageryears5 = 2019–2022
| manageryears6 = 2023–
| managerclubs1 = [[Indiana Hoosiers men's soccer|Indiana Hoosiers]] (assistant)
| managerclubs2 = [[Akron Zips men's soccer|Akron Zips]]
| managerclubs3 = [[United States men's national under-23 soccer team|United States U23]]
| managerclubs4 = [[Portland Timbers]]
| managerclubs5 = [[Columbus Crew]]
| managerclubs6 = [[New England Revolution]]
}}

'''Caleb Porter''' (born February 18, 1975) is an American [[Association football|soccer]] coach who is the head coach of [[Major League Soccer]] club [[New England Revolution]]. He was previously head coach of the [[Portland Timbers]] from 2013 until 2017. He won [[MLS Cup]] in [[MLS Cup 2015|2015]] with Portland and [[MLS Cup 2020|2020]] with Columbus. In addition to MLS, he coached the [[United States men's national under-23 soccer team|United States U-23]] team in 2011–12, and the University of Akron [[Akron Zips|men's team]] from 2006 to 2012, winning the [[2010 NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Tournament|NCAA title in 2010]].

A former midfielder, he played [[College soccer in the United States|college soccer]] for [[Indiana Hoosiers men's soccer|Indiana University]] before his short professional career in Major League Soccer and the United Soccer League was ended by persistent knee injuries.

==Player==
Porter attended [[Indiana Hoosiers men's soccer|Indiana University]] where he played on the men's soccer team from 1994 to 1997 as defensive center midfielder. Lifetime Mentor Jerry Yeagley labelled his players as Piano Players or Piano Carriers.  Caleb was a Piano Carrier. He was one of only two all time Indiana Hoosers to be Captain for three years of his team. He graduated in 1997 with a [[Bachelor's degree]] in [[sports management]]. In February 1998, the [[San Jose Clash]] selected Porter with the 3rd round (27th overall) in the [[1998 MLS College Draft]]. He did not join the Clash until 1999 but his tenure there was short - he made just four appearances and, in his one start, was ejected in the 32nd minute.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sportingkc.com/1999/box/0410 |title=SJ vs. KC 4/10/99 |publisher=Sporting Kansas City |date=April 10, 1999 |access-date=April 16, 2013 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130616104150/http://www.sportingkc.com/1999/box/0410 |archive-date=June 16, 2013 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Following that performance, the Clash sent him on loan to the [[Sacramento Geckos]] of the [[A-League (American)|A-League]]<ref>''GECKOS FACE HIGH HOPES, STEEP OBSTACLES'' The Sacramento Bee - Friday, April 23, 1999</ref> before waiving him in June. He quickly returned to MLS after being signed by the [[Tampa Bay Mutiny]] in July.<ref>"Scoring prowess major part of striker's promise". ''St. Petersburg Times'' - Wednesday, July 21, 1999</ref> He suffered from several knee injuries and had arthroscopic surgery on both knees during the off-season before retiring on June 30, 2000.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/06/30/sports/transactions-011878.html |title=June 30, 2000 Transactions |work=New York Times |date=June 30, 2000 |access-date=August 29, 2012}}</ref> In 1997, Porter was a member of the U.S. soccer team which took the bronze medal at the [[1997 Summer Universiade|1997 World University Games]].

==College coach==
In 2000, Porter returned to [[Indiana Hoosiers#Soccer|Indiana University]] as an assistant soccer coach. While at Indiana as Assistant Coach, the Hoosers won two National Championships. After [[Ken Lolla]] left the [[Akron Zips men's soccer|University of Akron]] in December 2005, the Zips hired Porter as head soccer coach. After taking the Zips to two consecutive Mid-American Conference titles, and being named the 2007 MAC Coach of the Year, Porter signed a two-year contract extension in June 2008.

Following Akron's near-perfect season of 2009, Porter was rumored to be in talks with Major League Soccer club [[D.C. United]] about their vacant head coaching position.<ref>{{cite web|last=Goff |first=Steve |url=http://voices.washingtonpost.com/soccerinsider/2009/12/fire_interviews_fraser.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120915024034/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/soccerinsider/2009/12/fire_interviews_fraser.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 15, 2012 |title=Soccer Insider - Fire Interviews Fraser |publisher=Voices.WashingtonPost.com |date=December 10, 2009 |access-date=August 29, 2012}}</ref> However, the University of Akron and Porter agreed on terms of a new contract, keeping him in Akron for the next five years.<ref>{{cite news |title=UA soccer coach to stay with Zips |last=Beaven |first=Michael |newspaper=Akron Beacon Journal |date=December 15, 2009 |url=http://www.ohio.com/news/top_stories/79360902.html |access-date=December 15, 2009 |archive-date=June 15, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110615164511/http://www.ohio.com/news/top_stories/79360902.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Under Porter, the 2010 Akron squad captured the [[NCAA Men's Division I Soccer Championship]], defeating the Louisville Cardinals, 1–0.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gozips.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=10800&ATCLID=205054366|title=The Gold Standard: Men's Soccer Captures National Title|website=GoZips.com|access-date=October 15, 2017}}{{Dead link|date=November 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

==National U-23 team coach==
Porter was named the head coach of the U.S. Under-23 Men's National Team on October 20, 2011, while retaining his duties as coach of the Akron Zips.<ref>{{cite web|last=Silverstein |first=Max |url=http://www.usfutblog.com/2011-articles/october/porter-and-ramos-announced-as-new-u-23-a-u-20-coaches.html |title=Porter and Ramos announced as new U-23 & U-20 coaches |publisher=Usfutblog.com |date=2011-10-20 |access-date=August 29, 2012}}</ref> His first task was attempting to guide the U-23 team to a successful qualifying run in March 2012 for the 2012 Olympic Games in London; however, following a 2–0 loss to Canada and a 3–3 draw with El Salvador, the Americans were eliminated.

==Professional coach==
On August 29, 2012, it was announced that he would become the head coach of MLS club [[Portland Timbers]] after the conclusion of the 2012 NCAA season.<ref>{{cite web|last=Amerika |first=Prost |url=http://www.prostamerika.com/?p=69995 |title=Caleb Porter is New Timbers Coach |publisher=prostamerika.com |date=August 29, 2012 |access-date=August 29, 2012}}</ref>

Porter was named the 2013 MLS Coach of the Year after leading Portland to a 14–5–15 (57 pts) record, finishing the regular season in first place in the Western Conference and with the third-best record in the league – two points shy of MLS Supporters' Shield-winners [[New York Red Bulls]]. In 2013, the Timbers set new single-season club marks in points, wins, goals (54), goal differential (+21), shutouts (15) and fewest goals allowed (33). Porter was awarded the 2013 Slats Gill Sportsperson of the Year Award from the Oregon Sports Awards.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2013/12/02/portland-timbers-caleb-porter-wins-2013-mls-coach-year-award|title=Portland Timbers' Caleb Porter wins 2013 MLS Coach of the Year award|date=December 2, 2013|website=MLSSoccer.com|access-date=October 15, 2017|archive-date=September 2, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150902090617/http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2013/12/02/portland-timbers-caleb-porter-wins-2013-mls-coach-year-award|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In the [[2014 MLS All-Star Game]], Porter coached the MLS All-Star team to a 2–1 victory against a [[Pep Guardiola]]-led [[FC Bayern Munich|Bayern Munich]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/mls/index.ssf/2014/08/landon_donovan_leads_mls_all-s.html|title=Landon Donovan leads MLS All-Stars to 2-1 win over legendary coach Pep Guardiola's Bayern Munich|date=August 2014|website=OregonLive.com|access-date=October 15, 2017}}</ref>

Helping guide the Timbers to the MLS Western Conference Championship twice in three seasons (2013–2015), Porter compiled one of the league's top winning percentages among active MLS head coaches (41 wins - 25 losses – 36 draws, .578). The 25 career losses in his first 100 career games as an MLS head coach ranks tied for the fewest losses with San Jose's [[Dominic Kinnear]] among all MLS coaches who have reached 100 or more games in the league. Under Porter's guidance, the Timbers made [[Providence Park]] one of the toughest places to play in the league, registering a regular-season mark of 24–7–20 at Providence Park over the three seasons 2013–15.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.timbers.com/team/head-coach-caleb-porter|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150226223229/http://www.timbers.com/team/head-coach-caleb-porter|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 26, 2015|title=Head Coach - Caleb Porter|date=December 19, 2012|website=[[Portland Timbers]]|access-date=October 15, 2017}}</ref>
[[File:Caleb_Porter_Portland_Timbers_vs_Colorado_Rapids_2016-10-16_(29746981734)_(cropped).jpg|thumb|right|Porter in 2016]]
In 2015, the Timbers once again reached the [[MLS Cup Playoffs]], setting a new single-season club record in wins (15), while leading the league with 13 shutouts. Porter led the Timbers to their first MLS Cup final, which they won, 2–1, against [[Columbus Crew SC]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.espnfc.com/major-league-soccer/match/438347/columbus-crew-sc-portland-timbers/report|title=Portland Timbers beat Columbus Crew SC to win first MLS Cup title|website=ESPNFC.com|access-date=October 15, 2017}}</ref> From 2013 to 2015, Porter helped guide the Timbers to the fourth-most points (159) among all MLS clubs, behind only the [[New York Red Bulls]] (169), [[Seattle Sounders FC]] (167) and [[LA Galaxy]] (165).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.timbers.com/news/numbers-glance-portland-timbers-path-audi-2015-mls-cup-playoffs|title=A by the numbers glance at the Portland Timbers path to the Audi 2015 MLS Cup Playoffs|date=October 28, 2015|website=[[Portland Timbers]]|access-date=October 15, 2017}}</ref>

On January 27, 2016, Porter signed a long-term contract extension with the Timbers.<ref>{{cite web|last=Communications |first=Timbers |url=https://www.timbers.com/news/portland-timbers-sign-head-coach-caleb-porter-long-term-contract-extension |title=Portland Timbers sign head coach Caleb Porter to long-term contract extension |publisher=[[Portland Timbers]] |date=January 27, 2016 |access-date=January 27, 2016}}</ref> On November 16, 2017, Porter and the Timbers mutually agreed to separate.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/timbers/index.ssf/2017/11/caleb_porter_reportedly_out_as.html|title=Caleb Porter out as Portland Timbers head coach|work=OregonLive.com|access-date=2017-12-13|language=en-US}}</ref>

On January 4, 2019, Columbus Crew announced Porter as their new head coach, to replace [[Gregg Berhalter]], who had left to become the head coach of the [[United States men's national soccer team]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.columbuscrewsc.com/post/2019/01/04/columbus-crew-sc-names-tim-bezbatchenko-president-and-announces-caleb-porter-head|title = Columbus Crew SC names Tim Bezbatchenko as President and announces Caleb Porter as Head Coach &#124; Columbus Crew}}</ref> Porter's appointment was made simultaneously with the announcement of [[Tim Bezbatchenko]] as Crew SC's new president.

Porter helped lead Columbus to victory in [[MLS Cup 2020]], making him one of only three coaches ever to win MLS Cup with different teams. However he failed to lead the Crew to the playoffs in any other season. On October 10, 2022, after missing consecutive post-seasons — including a loss on the final day of the 2022 season — Porter was fired as Crew head coach.<ref>{{cite web |  title=Columbus Crew coach Caleb Porter fired after missing playoffs for second straight year | website=The Columbus Dispatch | date=October 10, 2022 | url=https://www.dispatch.com/story/sports/mls/columbus-crew/2022/10/10/columbus-crew-fire-coach-caleb-porter/69552598007/ | access-date=October 10, 2022}}</ref>

On December 19, 2023, the New England Revolution announced that it had appointed Porter as its head coach, filling the void left by [[Bruce Arena]] several months prior.<ref>{{Cite press release |date=December 19, 2023 |title=New England Revolution hire Caleb Porter as head coach |url=https://www.revolutionsoccer.net/news/new-england-revolution-hire-caleb-porter-as-head-coach |publisher=New England Revolution}}</ref> In 2024, Porter led New England to a 9-21-4 (W-L-D) record in the regular season, second-worst in the [[Eastern Conference (MLS)|Eastern Conference]].<ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=2024-11-12 |title=Conference Standings |url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/standings/2024/conference#season=2024&live=true |access-date=2024-11-12 |website=MLS Soccer |language=en}}</ref>

==Coaching statistics==
===College===
{{CBB Yearly Record Start
|type=coach
|conference=
|postseason=
|poll=
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead|
|name=[[Akron Zips men's soccer|Akron Zips]]
|startyear=2006
|conference=[[Mid-American Conference]]
|endyear=2012
|}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = conference
 | season       = 2006
 | name = Akron
 | overall      = 14–6–1
 | conference   = 4–0–1
 | confstanding = 1st
 | postseason   =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = confboth
 | season       = 2007
 | name = Akron
 | overall      = 15–4–2
 | conference   = 5–0–1
 | confstanding = 1st
 | postseason   = [[2007 Division I Men's College Cup|NCAA 2nd Round]]
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = confboth
 | season       = 2008
 | name = Akron
 | overall      = 17–2–4
 | conference   = 6–0–0
 | confstanding = 1st
 | postseason   = [[2008 Division I Men's College Cup|NCAA 3rd Round]]
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = confboth
 | season       = 2009
 | name = Akron
 | overall      = 23–1–1
 | conference   = 6–0–0
 | confstanding = 1st
 | postseason   = [[2009 Division I Men's College Cup|NCAA Final]]
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = national
 | season       = 2010
 | name = Akron
 | overall      = 22–1–2
 | conference   = 6–0–0
 | confstanding = 1st
 | postseason   = [[2010 NCAA Men's Division I Soccer Tournament|NCAA Champions]]
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = conference
 | season       = 2011
 | name = Akron
 | overall      = 15–4–4
 | conference   = 6–0–0
 | confstanding = 1st
 | postseason   = [[2011 NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Championship|NCAA 3rd Round]]
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = confboth
 | season       = 2012
 | name = Akron
 | overall      = 18–1–3
 | conference   = 6–0–0
 | confstanding = 1st
 | postseason   = [[2012 NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Championship|NCAA 3rd Round]]
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record End
 | overall = 119–18–17
 | confrecord = 39–0–2
}}

===Professional===
{{updated|match played 28 June 2025}}{{citation needed|date=March 2025}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"	
|+ Coaching record by team and tenure			
|-
! rowspan="2" |Team
! rowspan="2" |Nat
! rowspan="2" |From
! rowspan="2"|To
! colspan="8" |Record				
|-	
!{{Tooltip|G|Games managed}}
!{{Tooltip|W|Games won}}
!{{Tooltip|D|Games drawn}}
!{{Tooltip|L|Games lost}}
!{{Tooltip|GF|Goals for}}
!{{Tooltip|GA|Goals against}}
!{{Tooltip|GD|Goal difference}}
!{{Tooltip|Win %|Winning percentage}}			
|-
|align=left|[[Portland Timbers]]
|{{Flagicon|USA}}
|align=left|January 8, 2013
|align=left|November 17, 2017
{{WDL|202|85|57|60|for=329|against=271|diff=yes}}
|-
|align=left|[[Columbus Crew]]
|{{Flagicon|USA}}
|align=left|January 4, 2019
|align=left|October 10, 2022
{{WDL|138|53|39|46|for=190|against=167|diff=yes}}
|-
|align=left|[[New England Revolution]]
|{{Flagicon|USA}}
|align=left|December 19, 2023
|align=left|''Present''
{{WDL|63|20|13|30|for=78|against=110|diff=yes}}
|-
!colspan="4"|Total
{{WDLtot|403|158|109|136|for=597|against=548|diff=yes}}
|}

==Honors==
===Coaching===
'''Portland Timbers'''
* [[MLS Cup]]: [[MLS Cup 2015|2015]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.espnfc.com/major-league-soccer/story/2747997/portland-timbers-celebrate-mls-cup-title-with-victory-parade|title=Portland Timbers celebrate MLS Cup title with downtown parade|website=ESPNFC.com|date=December 8, 2015|access-date=October 15, 2017}}</ref>
* [[Western Conference (MLS)|Western Conference]] (playoffs): 2015<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2015/11/29/portland-timbers-first-cascadia-club-reach-mls-cup-close-capturing-first-trophy-we|title=Portland Timbers become first Cascadia club to reach the MLS Cup: "We want to win the big one"|date=November 29, 2015|website=MLSSoccer.com|access-date=October 15, 2017}}</ref>
* [[Western Conference (MLS)|Western Conference]] (regular season): 2013, 2017

'''Columbus Crew SC'''
* [[MLS Cup]]: [[MLS Cup 2020|2020]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2020/12/12/columbus-crew-sc-3-seattle-sounders-fc-0-2020-mls-cup-match-recap|title=Columbus Crew SC 3, Seattle Sounders FC 0|website=MLSSoccer.com|date=December 12, 2020|access-date=December 12, 2020}}</ref>
* [[Eastern Conference (MLS)|Eastern Conference]] (playoffs): 2020
* [[Campeones Cup]]: [[2021 Campeones Cup|2021]]

===Individual===
* [[Sigi Schmid Coach of the Year Award|MLS Coach of the Year]]: [[2013 Major League Soccer season|2013]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2013/12/02/portland-timbers-caleb-porter-wins-2013-mls-coach-year-award|title=Portland Timbers' Caleb Porter wins 2013 MLS Coach of the Year award|website=MLSSoccer.com|date=December 2, 2013|access-date=December 13, 2020}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of Major League Soccer coaches]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}<!--added above External links/Sources by script-assisted edit-->

{{New England Revolution squad}}
{{Major League Soccer head coaches}}
{{Navboxes
| bg    = gold
| fg    = navy
| title = Awards
| list1 =
{{NSCAA Coach of the Year}}
{{Mid-American Conference Men's Soccer Coach of the Year navbox}}
{{MLS Coach of the Year}}
}}
{{Navboxes
|title= Caleb Porter coaching positions
|list1=
{{AkronZipsSoccerCoach}}
{{Portland Timbers coaches}}
{{Columbus Crew SC managers}}
{{New England Revolution managers}}
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Porter, Caleb}}
[[Category:1975 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Soccer players from Tacoma, Washington]]
[[Category:American soccer coaches]]
[[Category:American men's soccer players]]
[[Category:Indiana Hoosiers men's soccer players]]
[[Category:A-League (1995–2004) players]]
[[Category:Sacramento Geckos players]]
[[Category:San Jose Earthquakes players]]
[[Category:Tampa Bay Mutiny players]]
[[Category:Akron Zips men's soccer coaches]]
[[Category:Indiana Hoosiers men's soccer coaches]]
[[Category:Portland Timbers head coaches]]
[[Category:Columbus Crew head coaches]]
[[Category:New England Revolution head coaches]]
[[Category:Major League Soccer players]]
[[Category:San Jose Earthquakes draft picks]]
[[Category:Men's association football midfielders]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]