Fjeldberg takes the leap to the MLS after navigating the COVID-19 pandemic

Dayton men’s soccer midfielder Jonas Fjeldberg is taking the leap from college to the pros on the backs of the pandemic. Photo courtesy of Flyer News. 

Luc Almeda
Sports Staff Writer

Jonas Fjeldberg’s Dayton soccer career was truly historic. For many reasons, he’ll be remembered at Dayton for a long time.

Dayton’s No. 9 from Jessheim, Norway won Atlantic 10 Offensive Player of the Year, Dayton’s MVP, and was on the A-10 First Team one year ago. After the 2019-20 season that saw him win all of these awards, the COVID 19 pandemic hit.

Then, he did it all again.

In his senior campaign, Fjeldberg doubled down and repeated winning each of the awards he did in the previous season. He captained the team to a 2020-21 A10 regular season title, too.

Fjeldberg’s mindset during the offseason was a catalyst for his and the team’s success.

“I was upset that I couldn’t go home during the pandemic at first, but I told myself that there was nothing I could do about it and I had to make the best out of the situation,” Fjeldberg said. 

He stayed on campus during the summer of the COVID 19 pandemic to avoid the risk of not being able to come back to Dayton for his senior year.

Instead of letting the time on a desolate campus go to waste, he made the most of it. 

“I decided to put my mind on working hard and letting the time go by keeping myself busy with school and hard work,” Fjeldberg said. 

Rather than dwell on anything that the pandemic took away, Fjeldberg chose to focus on all the positives that he and the team were able to experience this year. 

“I missed the locker room and how that brought us together as a team, but I think us as seniors and captains handled it well and brought the team together as much as we can,” Fjeldberg said. “My best memory from this season is Jake Feiner’s double overtime goal against St. Louis. It’s the point in the season that I can look at and say ‘that’s where things started to go our way’. It  was a huge moment for him as a player and for us as a team.” 

After that double overtime win, Dayton would win out the rest of the regular season and win its fifth A10 regular season championship. 

Now, Fjeldberg has his sights set on making a splash in the MLS. He is already practicing with the team that drafted him this past year, FC Cincinnati. 

It will be a transition, though. Fjeldberg knows that and is ready for the task in front of him.

“I am prepared to work hard and not take anything for granted,” Fjeldberg said. “Coming from college where I was a captain and a senior, I know I’m coming from behind and will do my best to earn my spot. I’m prepared to do that.”

As a part of a new FC Cincinnati team that is building from the ground up, Fjeldberg could get his chance to shine. He showed his talent during his time as a Dayton Flyer, and now will begin his journey at the next level.