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Northeastern University Athletics

Northeastern Huskies
Chris Gbandi

Chris Gbandi

Head Coaching Record

Chris Gbandi begins his sixth season as the head coach of the Northeastern men’s soccer team during 2021. He was appointed as the program’s sixth head coach on Jan. 11, 2016,d by NU athletic director Peter Roby, who lauded Gbandi for being, “a proven winner, a tremendous role model, and a leader who is committed to the student-athlete experience and the success of the program.”

COACHING CAREER
  • Holds the second most wins in a season by a first-year coach in Northeastern History (2016)
  • Assisted for two seasons on the staff at Dartmouth, where he co-led the Big Green to consecutive Ivy League championships and NCAA tournament appearances (2014-15)
  • NSCAA East Regional Assistant Coach of the Year (2014)
  • Assisted at Holy Cross (2012-14)
  • Coached two NCAA All-Americans while at UConn (2011)
  • Three National Tournament berths (2011, 2014, 2015), including NCAA quarterfinals with UConn (2011)
PROFESSIONAL CAREER
  • First overall pick in the 2002 MLS SuperDraft
  • Made 111 MLS appearances for FC Dallas from 2002 to 2008
  • 2006 FC Dallas Defender of the Year
  • Played in the Norwegian First Division for FK Haugesund (2008)
  • Played with Miami FC in the USL as a player/assistant
  • Played on the Liberian National Team (2004)

COLLEGE CAREER
  • Four year letterwinner at UConn (1998-2001)
  • Four straight BIG EAST Regular Season titles
  • 1999 BIG EAST Tournament Champion
  • 2000 Hermann Trophy recipient as college soccer’s top male player, finalist in 1999 and 2001
  • Three time All-American (1999, 2000, 2001)
  • Four time BIG EAST First Team selection, first time in conference history
  • Three time BIG EAST Defender of the Year (1999, 2000, 2001)
  • 1998 BIG EAST Rookie of the Year


NORTHEASTERN PLAYER ACCOLADES UNDER GBANDI
As of April 20, 2021

• NCAA Division I Men's All-Atlantic Region Third Team (1): ... 2018: Harry Swartz.
• All-CAA Second Team (3): ... 2020: Timothy Ennin 2019: Benjamin Klingen 2018: Martin Nygaard, Harry Swartz ... 2017: Harry Swartz.
• All-CAA Third Team (5): ...2020: Benjamin Klingen 2019: Ryan Massoud, Timothy Ennin 2018: Moustapha Samb ... 2016: Ackim Mpofu.
• CAA Rookie of the Year (1): ...2019:. Timothy Ennin. 
• CAA All-Rookie Team (2): ... 2020: Zach Sauer. 2018: Ryan Massoud. 
• CAA All-Academic Team (1): ... 2016: Jonathan Thuresson.
• CAA Institutional Male Scholar-Athlete, Northeastern (1): ... 2017-18: Jonathan Thuresson.

 
HEAD COACHING RECORD
Season School Overall Pct. Conf. Pct. Regular
Season		 Conference
Tournament		 Postseason
Tournament
2016 Northeastern 6-11-0 .353 3-5-0 .375 8th -- --
2017 Northeastern 3-12-3 .250 1-6-1 .188 t-8th -- --
2018 Northeastern 6-9-1 .406 3-4-1 .438 6th CAA Quarterfinals --
2019 Northeastern  6-9-3 .417 3-3-2 .500 5th    CAA Quarterfinals --
2020-21 Northeastern 0-5-1 .083 0-3-1 .125 t-8th -- --
5 seasons Northeastern 21-46-8 .333 10-21-5 .347
5 seasons Career 21-46-8 .333 10-21-5 .347

 
UPON GBANDI'S ARRIVAL

"I couldn't be happier for Chris and his family. This is a well deserved opportunity and I know he will do great things with the Northeastern University soccer program. Northeastern is certainly lucky to have Chris leading the soccer program." – Chad Riley, Dartmouth head coach
 
"Chris will do an outstanding job as the leader of the Northeastern men's soccer program. He is one of the fiercest competitors I have ever met and played at a very high level throughout his career. He will do an outstanding job recruiting and training top-level student-athletes at Northeastern." – Ray Reid, Connecticut head coach
 
"I want to congratulate Chris for his appointment as head coach at Northeastern. His coaching and playing experience speaks for itself. His passion and energy will be beneficial for the men's soccer program at Northeastern. With Chris' leadership, the Huskies will be a force to be reckoned with in the CAA and at the national level." – Marco Koolman, Holy Cross head coach