Our Staff

During his coaching career, Gbandi has helped lead his teams to three NCAA Tournament appearances, including a 2011 appearance while in Storrs. Additionally, Gbandi has coached two NSCAA-All Americans, one NSCAA-All Atlantic Region Team player, and 10 All-Conference Team honorees. 

Prior to his coaching tenure, Gbandi was a highly decorated player. The first overall pick in the 2002 MLS super draft, he played nine years professionally for FC Dallas, Miami FC, and the FK Haugesund of the Norwegian Division. Gbandi also made an appearance for the Liberian National team in 2004 and was awarded FC Dallas Defender of the Year in 2006. 

Prior to his professional and coaching career, Gbandi was a key member of the men's soccer team from 1998-2001. A four-year letterman, Gbandi helped lead his team to four straight Big East Regular Season titles. He also led his team the 1999 Big East tournament title and brought home the Men's Soccer most recent NCAA Championship in 2000.  Individual achievements include 1998 Big East Rookie of the Year, three-time Big East Defender of the Year, four Big East First Team selections, and three All-America selections.  He was the Hermann trophy recipient as college soccer's top male player in 2000 and a finalist for the prestigious honor in 1999 and 2001.

Ray Reid
Former Head Men's Soccer Coach
I am so excited that Chris is coming home.  Chris is an outstanding head coach, and an even better person who will serve as a tremendous leader and role model for our student- athletes.  Winning is in his DNA, and we are extremely fortunate that he will be leading this program into the future.  I cannot wait to watch his team play.

Alecko Eskandarian
Senior Director, Player Relations & Player Development for Major League Soccer
I have had the honor of working with Chris Gbandi on several projects related to college soccer over the years and have the utmost respect for his drive and commitment to coaching. His experience as a former player (in MLS, internationally, and at UConn) gives him intimate knowledge on how to build a culture that breeds success. I have no doubt in his ability to recruit top players from academies that will carry on the traditions that UConn soccer has established over previous decades and preparing young men for life beyond soccer.

Luchi Gonzalez
United States Men's Soccer World Cup Assistant Coach
Over the years, I have competed against Chris at the college and professional levels. He was a resilient and proven winner as a player and continues to be so as a coach. With his competitive nature, leadership qualities, and passion for scouting and recruiting, I am confident he will do a first-class job bringing in and coaching the elite student-athletes at UConn.

Jason Kreis
Inter Miami CF Assistant Coach
Chris has had a long and distinguished affiliation with the game in our country on every level.  He has impacted the game in a major way, has established many great contacts, and has helped to develop top level pros and top-level men.  He looks to be the perfect fit to lead the distinguished college soccer program at UConn.

Max Zieky
Teammate and Co-Captain with Chris Gbandi
Chris is a fierce competitor that puts his teammates and players first. He embodies the culture at UConn where athletes go to obtain a world class degree and become a Champion! I have no doubt the committee made an outstanding choice in Chris and know there are Championships to come. The 2000 Championship Team knows first-hand he is the right person for the job and as Captain and co-pilot in the back I know he will WIN! Congratulations to Chris Gbandi, the current players, the administration, and the great fans of UConn Nation - LG!

Chris Gbandi spent six seasons 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 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.”

Gbandi currently resides in Glastonbury, CT with his wife, Crystal, daughter, Olivia and son, Luca.

COACHING CAREER

• All-CAA Firs Team: ... 2021: Federico Tellez 

• All-CAA Second Team (6): ... 2021: Benjamin Klingen 2020: Timothy Ennin 2019: Benjamin Klingen 2018: Martin Nygaard, Harry Swartz ... 2017: Harry Swartz.
• All-CAA Third Team (7): ...2021: Timothy Ennin, Colby Hegarty 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): ... 2021:Søren Ilsøe, Andres Torrealba, Sebastian Restrepo  2020: Zach Sauer. 2019: Timothy Ennin 2018: Ryan Massoud. 

Ryan Fahey joined Chris Gbandi’s staff as the Associate Head Coach in February 2021. Fahey previously served as the Head Coach of the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps men's soccer program beginning in the 2020 season. 

At CMS, Fahey had the daunting task of managing the program through a year of no competition due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and then rebuilding the team back up after heavy roster turnover. The Stags didn't miss a beat, finishing with their first undefeated regular season in SCIAC play since 1994, and ending with the first undefeated regular season against Division III opponents in program history (the only regular season defeat was an overtime loss to Westmont from the NAIA). For his efforts, Fahey and assistant coaches Trevor Swartz and Stefan Gonzalez were named the SCIAC Coaching Staff of the Year, after compiling a 14-2-3 record and 10-0-2 mark in league games.

Fahey was a first-team All-SCIAC and third-team NSCAA All-Far West selection for the Stags, who he led to a SCIAC title and an NCAA Tournament appearance as the team's goalkeeper in 2009. After graduation, he stayed with CMS as an assistant coach for three years, beginning a decade-long coaching career which has seen his teams (CMS, Dartmouth, Notre Dame) achieve consistent success at every stop.

Prior to CMS, Fahey spent seven years as an assistant under Chad Riley, the last two at Notre Dame after they spent five seasons together at Dartmouth. Riley and Fahey have led the Fighting Irish to two NCAA bids in the last two years, including the fourth NCAA Quarterfinals appearance in program history in 2018, when they picked up shutouts over Michigan and Virginia to advance through the first two rounds. While on the Notre Dame staff, Fahey was responsible for the program's national recruiting efforts, as well as coordinating goalkeeper training sessions.

Riley and Fahey had tremendous success at Dartmouth, helping the Big Green to four straight Ivy League Championships and NCAA Tournament appearances over their final four years from 2014-17. During their tenure, Dartmouth set program records for most wins and most conference wins over a four-year span.

While at Dartmouth, Fahey helped develop players who earned a combined 35 All-Ivy League accolades, including one All-American and two Academic All-Americans. The Big Green also had four players sign professional contracts with Major League Soccer and the United Soccer League, including goalkeeper Stefan Cleveland, who was picked by the Chicago Fire in the 2017 MLS SuperDraft after earning the Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year Award.

In addition to coaching Dartmouth's goalkeepers, Fahey was also responsible for recruiting domestically and internationally, and organized practice plans for the program. During the summer, he was the camp coordinator for Hanover Soccer Academies, coordinating camp activities for an average of 130 campers and 20 staff members.

Fahey began his coaching career at CMS with immediate success, helping the Stags to three straight SCIAC Tournament championships and NCAA bids from 2010-12. CMS was stellar defensively in the postseason during those championship years, allowing only one goal in six SCIAC Tournament games combined, as well as earning a 1-0 NCAA Tournament win over Chapman in 2011.

During his time in Southern California, Fahey also served as the head coach of the Foothill Storm U14 Club in Claremont, coached with the Chivas USA Youth Academy in Pomona, served as a trainer at the CATZ Sports Performance Center in Yorba Linda and Pasadena, and worked as a private goalkeeping instructor. He was also the director of the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Boys' Soccer Camp in the summer.

Beginning with his senior season as a player at CMS, Fahey was a part of 10 NCAA Tournament appearances in 11 seasons. He helped CMS to four straight conference titles and NCAA bids (one as a player, three as a coach), and after missing on the postseason in his first season at Dartmouth in 2013, he has coached in the NCAA Division I Tournament for six straight years (four at Dartmouth, two at Notre Dame).

Originally a native of Bellevue, Washington, where he attended Interlake High School, Fahey graduated from Claremont McKenna in 2010 with a degree in history. He holds a United Soccer Coaches Advanced Diploma and United Soccer Coaches Goalkeeper I and II Diplomas.

Fahey currently resides in West Hartford, CT with his wife, Ali and son, Fritz.

Kamali Webson joins Chris Gbandi’s staff as an assistant coach. He previously served as an assistant coach at Northeastern University in 2021.

At Northeastern, Webson helped lead the Huskies to an 11-6-2 overall record during the 2021 season. The 11 wins marked the fifth-most victories in program history and the No. 2 seed earned by the team in the Colonial Athletic Association Championship was tied for a program best. 

Overall, the Huskies recorded 40 goals scored and a plus 13 goal differential in 2021, the second highest total in the CAA. Four Northeastern players finished in the top ten in the CAA for goals scored and three finished in the top ten for assists, including number one and two. Seven Huskies earned places on All-CAA teams following the season.

Prior to Northeastern, Webson was the assistant coach at Needham High School with the Boys Varsity team from 2014-2020 where he helped lead the team to the 2018 D1 state final. During his time, Needham reached 5 state quarter finals and 2 state semi finals. He coached and developed 2 High school All-Americans, 4 all-region and 8 all-state player. 

Webson played college soccer at Roger Williams University and Hawaii Pacific University, where he was a 3x first team all-conference, a 2x first team all-new England player, and a 2012 Division III All-American.

Webson currently holds his 11v11 and National diplomas through United States Coaches, and E, D, and Director of Coaching licenses from U.S Soccer Coaching. Webson also completed his Masters Degree in Positive Coaching and Athletic Leadership from the University of Missouri in 2019.

Webson was a 2013 USL Combine Participant & SoccerViza combine participant, where he earned a trial and contract with KF Fjallabyggdar (Iceland).

Webson also represented the Antigua & Barbuda Men’s National Team in 2012 & 2014 World Cup Qualification camps.

Webson currently resides in Acton, Mass. with his wife Emily.