Having made his mark as the only coach in the history of the UNCP women’s soccer program, Lars Andersson enters his 24th season as the coach of the Braves, compiling a 348-176-40 clip in 30 seasons as a collegiate head coach.
Currently holding a 258-140-37 record as the UNCP gaffer, Andersson has led the Black & Gold to seven appearances (2008, 2010, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023) in the NCAA postseason, including second round showings in both 2008 and 2010, as well as the 2017 Peach Belt Conference Tournament championship. During the 2021 season, Anderson's team captured the Conference Carolinas Tournament title. The Black & Gold repeated as Conference Carolinas Tournament Champions under the leadership of Andersson in 2022, and made it a three-peat during the 2023 season. The run of success has also included final listings in the United Soccer Coaches Southeast Region rankings in 13 out of the last 19 seasons. The two-time (2003, 2016) Peach Belt Conference Coach of the Year has mentored seven All-Americans, including an NSCAA First-Team selection in 2008, as well as six PBC Freshman of the Year recipients, 1 Conference Carolinas Freshman of the Year, 3 Conference Carolinas Offensive Player of the Year honors, 67 all-conference selections, 19 PBC All-Tournament players, 15 Conference Carolinas All-Tournament players, 3 Conference Carolinas Tournament MVPs, 29 all-state honorees, 36 all-region players, one Disney/NSCAA Goalkeeper of the Week, and four Disney/United Soccer Coaches Player of the Week. In the classroom, the Braves have produced four NSCAA/United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-Americans, three CoSIDA Academic All-Americans and a PBC female Student-Athlete of the Year honoree, while also placing 60 players on the PBC Women's Soccer All-Academic Team.
Prior to his time in Pembroke, Andersson served as the women’s soccer head coach at Cumberland College in Williamsburg, Ky., as well as the men’s coach at Reinhardt College in Waleska, Ga. In his two-year stint at Cumberland, Andersson coached two all-Americans, a pair of all-region players, 11 all-conference players, four academic all-Americans and 16 academic all-conference recipients. On his way to 1999 Mid-South Conference coach of the year accolades, he also led the Lady Patriots to the league’s regular season title, as well as a No. 14 national ranking.
While compiling a 62-25-3 record as coach of the Reinhardt men’s team, Andersson helped guide the 1998 Eagles to a 21-1-1 record, as well as spot in the NJCAA national championship game. Having earned region and district coach of the year honors at season’s end, he was one of just four candidates for national coach of the year honors as well.
A native of Vuollerim, Sweden, as well as a former player on Vuollerim SK (1985-87), Andersson made the trek to Clarksville, Tenn., as a high school exchange student in 1987. Following the completion of his freshman year at Austin Peay State, he returned to his native land to fulfill his duties as an army ranger in the Swedish Military before returning back to the U.S. to complete his education.
Andersson graduated Summa Cum Laude with a bachelor’s degree in physical education from Cumberland College in 1994 and earned his master’s degree from Union College in 1998.
Andersson and the former Carla Kehrier of Plymouth, Mich., are the proud parents of four daughters – Aspen, Isabella, Emelia and Olivia. The family currently resides in Clayton.
Updated: July 2024
