Chad Flanders was named the ninth head coach of Augustana men's soccer in December of 2022.
Flanders comes to Augustana with nearly 30 years of coaching experience, having spent the last five seasons at the NCAA DIII level with Aurora University and Concordia University Chicago.
Flanders has a wealth of coaching experience at multiple collegiate levels over his 26-year career. Prior to Augustana, he served as the head coach of Concordia-Chicago for one season, where he saw two players earn All-Conference honors. Before that, Flanders served as the assistant men’s soccer coach at Aurora University. While at Aurora, he also was the Director of Soccer for Galaxy Soccer Club in Naperville, Illinois. During his four-year stint at Aurora, Flanders has helped guide the Spartans to a NACC title, coached three Academic All-Americans, five all-region players, 24 All-NACC players, and two NACC Defensive Players of the Year.
Prior to his time at Aurora, Flanders served as the Technical Director at Campton United Soccer Club in St. Charles, Illinois from 2012-18. There he led multiple teams to national tournaments, including a 2016 U18 Boys National Premier League Championship.
Flanders's first collegiate head coaching experience came at the University of Central Arkansas, where he led the program from 2003-11. There he led the Bears' transition from NCAA Division II to Division I in 2006. The first 4 years in Division I the program was Independent and Flanders was instrumental in getting the Bears into the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC), since he worked as an assistant coach at Bradley University for four years. His 63 career wins are also a record in UCA men’s soccer.While at Central Arkansas the Bears made two NCAA Tournament appearances (2004, 2005) under Flanders. His program finished with a program-best #7 national ranking in 2004. Additionally at Central Arkansas, Flanders was a two-time Gulf South Conference (GSC) Coach of the Year, coached two GSC Players of the Year, and had a CoSIDA Academic All-American selection. He never finished below third in the Gulf South Conference. His teams had a combined record conference record of 16-3-2 while a part of the Gulf South Conference.
Flanders's coaching career began in 1996 as an assistant men’s soccer coach at Bradley University. He spent four years there before heading to the University of Akron from 2000-2003. While at Akron, Flanders helped to guide the Zips to two NCAA Tournament Appearances.
Flanders played collegiately at Illinois State University from 1990-94. He graduated from Illinois State in 1994 with a bachelor’s of science in physical education. He then earned his master’s degree from Eastern Illinois University in 1996.
