GREENWOOD – Lander University Athletics Director Brian Reese announced today the hiring of Paul Leese as the sixth head coach of the Lander men's soccer program.
"I am thrilled to announce Paul Leese as head coach of Lander men's soccer," Reese said. "Paul brings with him a tremendous history of coaching success at all levels, and we are eager to see him continue that success here at Lander."
Leese joins LU from Carthage College where he was head coach for four seasons.
"I feel a great sense of pride in becoming the next men's soccer coach at Lander," Leese said. "I am very familiar with the University and the soccer program from my time in South Carolina; and returning to the Palmetto State, where I have many friends, is thrilling for me and my family.
"I want to thank Athletics Director Brian Reese for trusting me to lead the men's soccer program and I look forward to working with the players and continuing to build on Lander's great athletic tradition."
While with the Firebirds, Leese elevated the program to a Top 4 Regional Ranking and led the team to the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin championship match in 2023 on the heels of an 11-win season that included a win over No. 13 Calvin University.
Leese also mentored the 2023 CCIW Offensive Player of the Year, Aidan Crowder.
During the 2024 campaign, Leese's team earned a signature win over 2022 National Champions, The University of Chicago.
Prior to his stint in Wisconsin, Leese was with New Mexico United of the USL Championship during the 2021 season.
Serving as first team assistant coach, Leese was responsible for training and development, identification and recruitment of first team professional players, and opponent analysis reports.
Leese also created and established the New Mexico United Academy and served as head coach in its inaugural year in the USL Academy League.
There, he trained and developed Cristian Nava, who became New Mexico United's first academy product to sign a professional contract as he made five senior appearances for United.
Leese's previous stop was as head coach at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.
Challenged with building a new Division I program from the ground up, Leese soon developed a nationally ranked team. After their inaugural 2015 season, Leese's 2019 squad spent the majority of the season in the Top 25, including a mid-season stint in the Top 10.
Earning 14 wins in 2018, his Vaqueros team finished atop the Western Athletic Conference as Leese earned WAC Coach of the Year honors. Eight players represented UTRGV on All-WAC Teams in both 2018 and 2019.
A nod to his strong ability to develop players, in 2019, Isidro Martinez was signed to a professional contract with MLS Houston Dynamo USL affiliate RGVFC.
Kyle Edwards was later selected by the Houston Dynamo in the 2020 MLS Superdraft, and additionally in 2020, Arthur Rogers inked a professional contract with USL Hartford Athletic. The following year, Will Akio signed with Canadian Professional League side Valour FC.
In the classroom, Leese's UTRGV team earned the United Soccer Coaches Team Academic Award six times.
Prior to UTRGV, Leese was head coach at Coker University where he earned the program's first conference championship in his first season. His teams won four conference titles in four years, including back-to-back Conference Carolinas regular season championships in 2011 and 2012.
Boasting a 12-3-1 record, Leese's 2012 Cobras claimed a No. 5 national ranking and for the second consecutive year, Leese collected the Coach of the Year award.
Along with their success on the field, Leese's squad placed six players on the Academic All-Conference team in 2012 and claimed the United Soccer Coaches Team Academic Award for the first time in program history.
Coker's first MLS Draft Pick came under Leese's watch when forward Daniel Jackson was selected in the 2014 MLS Superdraft by Real Salt Lake.
Before arriving at Coker, Leese was an assistant coach at Coastal Carolina from 2006-09, and at his alma mater, Furman University, from 2003-06.
Leese earned his undergraduate degree in Business Administration from Furman in 2001 and later received his MBA from Elon University in 2003.
As a player, Leese was named Big South Rookie of the Year in 1997 while at Charleston Southern. He then transferred to Furman where he helped lead the Paladins to the NCAA Quarterfinals in 1999.
Leese was also a member of the 1999 British University National Team and enjoyed a professional career in the USL with the Greenville Lions and Carolina Dynamo.
Born in Liverpool, England, Leese graduated high school in Spain from Aloha College and played for C.D. Cultural de Marbella under the coaching tutelage of Jaime Molina.
Leese and his wife Janeane have two sons, Aiden and Keiran.
