Maryville University Director of Athletics Brittany C. Fennell announced that Kramer Soderberg has been named the head coach of the Saints men’s basketball program. Soderberg comes to Maryville after serving as the head coach at Millikin University since 2021-22. The surname is a familiar one to St. Louis area basketball fans as his father, Brad, was the head coach at Saint Louis University from 2002 through 2007.
“We are excited to have coach Kramer Soderberg and his family as a part of SaintsNation,” Fennell said. “We are energized by the hiring coach of Soderberg and believe this marks the beginning of an incredible new chapter for our men’s basketball program and university community. Our student-athletes, alumni, and supporters have so much to look forward to as we build a culture of excellence, competitiveness, and pride both on and off the court.”
“I am extremely excited to have been selected as the next head men’s basketball coach at Maryville University,” Soderberg said. “The vision that Director of Athletics Brittany Fennell has for the men’s basketball program strongly aligns with my strengths as a coach and my core beliefs.
“Coming home to the St. Louis area has always been in the back of my mind, and finally realizing that dream after 12 years is incredibly special for me and my family,” Soderberg said. “My hope is to build a program that lasts at Maryville – a program built on a foundation of high-character and hard-working individuals all moving in the same direction and chasing the same goal.
“I’m beyond grateful to Millikin University for giving me my first opportunity to be a head coach and for all of my colleagues, staff members, and players who were instrumental to the success we were achieved during my tenure,” Soderberg said. “Of all the blessings God has bestowed on me over the course of my life none are greater than my wife, Andrea, and our six wonderful children. I’m so excited to start this new adventure together.”
After serving on as the top assistant coach on the Millikin staff since 2015 Soderberg made an immediate impact on the Big Blue program in one of the nation’s best NCAA Division III conferences, the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin. After getting promoted before the 2021-22 campaign, he took over a team that had recorded one win the previous season, and led the Big Blue to a 14-12 record, the most wins in a season since 2008-09. Soderberg directed Milliken to its most conference wins since 1993 and made the CCIW Tournament for the first time in program history. This past season, Soderberg led Milliken to another winning record and the best slate of his tenure at 14-11. He coached Lane Thomann to first-team All-CCIW honors this year, Soderberg’s fourth all-conference honoree.
Prior to joining the Millikin staff, Soderberg spent three years as an assistant coach at Lindenwood University. During Soderberg’s first two years as a graduate assistant, Lindenwood compiled a record of 30-26 in its first two years of NCAA DII play. In 2012-13, Soderberg helped the Lions to a 19-7 record; one win away from winning a conference title in their first official season in the prestigious MIAA conference.
Soderberg had the opportunity to coach and play at Lindenwood University under his father, Brad, who was the top assistant at the University of Virginia, including the Cavaliers’ 2019 NCAA Championship season. During his playing days, Kramer Soderberg was one of the best guards to play at Lindenwood. In his two seasons at Lindenwood he averaged 17 points a game and started in all 66 games of his playing career. He was named first-team All-HAAC in 2010-11, the HAAC Newcomer of the Year, and was a member of the NAIA All-American Third-Team. After his senior season, he was named a Capital One Division II Academic All-American. In his two years at Lindenwood, Soderberg scored 1,148 points. He ended his career in seventh place on the all-time leading scorers list. In 2017, Soderberg was inducted into the Lindenwood Athletic Hall of Fame.
Before transferring to Lindenwood, Soderberg attended NCAA Division I, Miami University. In his freshman season, he played in all but three games and received the Randy Gunlock Scholar-Athlete Award.
Soderberg attended St. Charles West High School and was a two-time All-State selection. He earned conference player of the year honors three times and named all-conference all four years of high school. Soderberg was tabbed the 2007-08 Gatorade Player of the Year in Missouri and also was named the St. Louis Post-Dispatch 2008 Player of the Year. He guided the Warriors to 100 victories, four conference titles, district championships in 2004-05 and 2007-08, and a Missouri State Class 4 Final Four appearance in 2007-08.
Soderberg graduated from Lindenwood University in 2012 with his bachelor’s degree in mass communication, and earned his master’s in mass communication in 2014.
