Northwestern men's soccer head coach Tim Lenahan announced the addition of Chris Leer to the Wilcats' staff as an assistant coach.
"We are very excited to have Chris Leer on staff," said Lenahan. "He brings a great skill set to Northwestern as a successful player and coach at UC Davis. After working at our camp last summer, I was impressed with his work ethic and personality. He is an outstanding recruiter and one of the most prominent young coaches in the country. We welcome him and his wife Michelle to the Northwestern family."
Leer joins Northwestern after coaching at his alma mater, UC Davis, for five seasons, helping the Aggies reach the Big West Tournament in each of the last four years and to a ranking as high as No. 6 in the region in 2017. Leer was also part of a staff that earned the United Soccer Coaches Far West Region Coaching Staff of the Year honor.
"I would like to thank Coach Lenahan, Dr. Phillips, and the rest of the Northwestern athletic department for giving me this opportunity and for welcoming my wife and I to the Wildcat family!" Leer said. "Northwestern is a special place and has been one of the best college soccer programs in the country. It's an honor to be able to work with such great student-athletes and I can't wait to get started!"
Prior to his time at UC Davis, Leer was an assistant coach for the women's soccer program at Augsburg University in Minneapolis where he helped lead the Auggies to a second-place finish in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, and a No. 5 regional ranking.
His coaching career also includes positions with the Minnesota State and Region II Olympic Development Program, the Minneapolis United Soccer Club, and the Tonka United Soccer Club, as well as the head boys junior varsity coach at San Ramon Valley High School in his hometown of Danville, Calif., and the Walnut Creek Soccer Club.
As a student-athlete, Leer was a four-year letter winner at UC Davis from 2006-09 and was part of back-to-back NCAA Division I Tournament berths. Leer finished his career with 13 goals and seven assists (33 points) and started all 19 matches his senior year.
He graduated from UC Davis in 2011 with degrees in communication and sociology, and earned his master's degree in sports and exercise science from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities in 2013. Leer currently serves as the Associate Head coach and assistant boys technical director for San Ramon FC and holds a United States Soccer Federation "C" License and an NSCAA National Diploma
"We are very excited to have Chris Leer on staff," said Lenahan. "He brings a great skill set to Northwestern as a successful player and coach at UC Davis. After working at our camp last summer, I was impressed with his work ethic and personality. He is an outstanding recruiter and one of the most prominent young coaches in the country. We welcome him and his wife Michelle to the Northwestern family."
Leer joins Northwestern after coaching at his alma mater, UC Davis, for five seasons, helping the Aggies reach the Big West Tournament in each of the last four years and to a ranking as high as No. 6 in the region in 2017. Leer was also part of a staff that earned the United Soccer Coaches Far West Region Coaching Staff of the Year honor.
"I would like to thank Coach Lenahan, Dr. Phillips, and the rest of the Northwestern athletic department for giving me this opportunity and for welcoming my wife and I to the Wildcat family!" Leer said. "Northwestern is a special place and has been one of the best college soccer programs in the country. It's an honor to be able to work with such great student-athletes and I can't wait to get started!"
Prior to his time at UC Davis, Leer was an assistant coach for the women's soccer program at Augsburg University in Minneapolis where he helped lead the Auggies to a second-place finish in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, and a No. 5 regional ranking.
His coaching career also includes positions with the Minnesota State and Region II Olympic Development Program, the Minneapolis United Soccer Club, and the Tonka United Soccer Club, as well as the head boys junior varsity coach at San Ramon Valley High School in his hometown of Danville, Calif., and the Walnut Creek Soccer Club.
As a student-athlete, Leer was a four-year letter winner at UC Davis from 2006-09 and was part of back-to-back NCAA Division I Tournament berths. Leer finished his career with 13 goals and seven assists (33 points) and started all 19 matches his senior year.
He graduated from UC Davis in 2011 with degrees in communication and sociology, and earned his master's degree in sports and exercise science from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities in 2013. Leer currently serves as the Associate Head coach and assistant boys technical director for San Ramon FC and holds a United States Soccer Federation "C" License and an NSCAA National Diploma