[MLS SPOTLIGHT] The Portland Timbers confirmed University of Akron coach Caleb Porter as their head coach for the 2013 season. "Put simply, I believe Caleb Porter is the best young soccer coaching mind in the country," said owner Merritt Paulson.

Porter will finish up the 2012 college season as the Zips' coach, just as he finished the 2011 campaign before taking charge of the U.S. U-23s.

Akron, winner of the 2010 national championship with a team that included Timbers star Darlington Nagbe, just kicked off the 2012 season with a 4-0 win over FGCU and is No. 2 in this week's Soccer America Top 25 rankings.

Gavin Wilkinson, the Timbers technical director, has been coaching the Timbers on an interim basis since John Spencer, the Timbers' first head coach, was fired.

Portland was 5-8-4 in 2012 under Spencer and 1-5-2 since Wilkinson took charge. Wilkinson had been the Timbers' head coach during their final season in the D2 Pro League.