Having made his mark as the only coach in the history of the UNCP women’s soccer program, Lars Andersson enters his 23rd season as the coach of the Braves, compiling a 336-172-37 clip in 28 seasons as a collegiate head coach.

Currently holding a 246-136-34 record as the UNCP gaffer, Andersson has led the Black & Gold to six appearances (2008, 2010, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2022) 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 Carolina Tournament Champions under the leadership of Andersson in 2022. The run of success has also included final listings in the United Soccer Coaches Southeast Region rankings in 12 out of the last 18 seasons. The two-time (2003, 2016) Peach Belt Conference coach of the year has mentored five 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, 2 Conference Carolinas Offensive Player of the Year honors, 62 all-conference selections, 19 PBC all-tournament players, 10 Conference Carolinas all-tournament players, 2 Conference Carolinas tournament MVPs, 29 all-state honorees, 31 all-region players, one Disney/NSCAA Goalkeeper of the Week, and 4 Disney/United Soccer Coaches Player of the Week. In the classroom, the Braves have produced four NSCAA/United Soccer Coaches scholar all-Americans, two 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.

HEAD COACHING RECORD

Season

Team

Overall

Pct.

Conference

Pct.

Conf Finish

Postseason

Reinhardt College (NJCAA)

 1994

 Reinhardt

 9-8-0

 .529

 4-5-0

 .444

 1995

 Reinhardt

 11-5-0

 .688

 5-5-0

 .500

 1996

 Reinhardt

 7-8-2

 .470

 3-7-1

 .318

 1997

 Reinhardt

 14-3-0

 .824

 8-3-0

 .727

 1998

 Reinhardt

 21-1-1

 .935

 13-0-1

 .964

 NJCAA National Tournament Runner Up, Region Champions, Region Tournament Champions

Total

 62-25-3

 .706

 33-20-2

.618

 Cumberland College (NAIA, Mid-South Conference)

 1999

 Cumberland

 16-4-0

 .800

 6-0-0

 1.000

 1st

 Conference Champions

 2000

 Cumberland

 12-7-0

 .632

 5-1-0

 .833

 3rd

Total

 28-11-0

 .718

 11-1-0

 .917

 UNC Pembroke Braves (Peach Belt Conference)

 2001

 UNC Pembroke

 7-9-1

 .441

 0-4-1

 .100

 T-6th

 2002

 UNC Pembroke

 4-11-4

 .316

 0-6-1

 .071

 8th

 2003

 UNC Pembroke

 13-5-0

 .722

 4-3-0

 .571

 T-4th

 2004

 UNC Pembroke 

 12-5-2

 .684

 3-3-2

 .500

 5th

 2005

 UNC Pembroke

 13-6-1

 .675

 5-2-1

 .688

 4th

 2006

 UNC Pembroke

 7-11-1

 .395

 3-5-1

 .389

 T-6th

 2007

 UNC Pembroke

 12-6-1

 .658

 3-4-1

 .438

 6th

 2008

 UNC Pembroke

 19-3-1

 .848

 6-1-1

 .813

 2nd

 NCAA Tournament

 2009

 UNC Pembroke

 10-8-1

 .553

 4-5-1

 .450

 T-6th

 2010

 UNC Pembroke

 16-4-2

 .773

 7-2-1

 .750

 3rd

 NCAA Tournament

 2011

 UNC Pembroke

 9-6-3

 .583

 4-4-2

 .500

 6th

 2012

 UNC Pembroke

 10-7-3

 .575

 5-5-1

 .500

 7th

 2013

 UNC Pembroke

 7-10-2

 .421

 4-5-2

 .455

 7th

 2014

 UNC Pembroke

 11-5-3

 .658

 6-3-2

 .636

 4th

 2015   

 UNC Pembroke

 8-9-1

 .472

 6-4-1

 .591

 5th

 2016  

 UNC Pembroke

 12-4-2

 .722

 9-1-2

 .833

 2nd

 2017

 UNC Pembroke

 15-5-1

 .738

 7-2-1

 .750

 4th

 PBC Tournament Champions, NCAA Tournament

 2018

 UNC Pembroke

 10-5-1

 .656

 6-3-1

 .650

 T-3rd

2019

UNC Pembroke

 14-5-1

 .725

 8-3-0

 .727

3rd

NCAA Tournament

2020

UNC Pembroke

 6-4-1

.591

 6-3-1

.650

4th

UNC Pembroke Braves (Conference Carolinas)

2021

UNC Pembroke

15-5-0

.750

11-1-0

.917

2nd

CC Tournament Champions, NCAA Tournament

2022

UNC Pembroke

16-3-2

.810

10-1-1

.875

3rd

CC Tournament Champions, NCAA Tournament

UNC Pembroke:

246-136-34

 .643

 117-70-23

 .625

NJCAA Total

62-25-3

 .706

 33-20-2

 .618

NAIA Total

28-11-0

 .718

 11-1-0

 .917

NCAA Total

246-136-34

 .643

 117-70-23

 .625

Total

336-172-37

 .661

 161-91-25

 .638

Updated: August 2023