Lars Andersson is the foundational and longstanding head coach of the women’s soccer program at UNC Pembroke, having served more than two decades leading the Braves. Over his tenure, Andersson has compiled a tenure record of more than 350 wins as a collegiate head coach, including a mark of approximately 267-144-4 at UNCP. Under his leadership the program has made seven NCAA postseason appearances (2008, 2010, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023), has won multiple conference tournament championships (such as the 2017 Peach Belt Conference tournament title and successive Conference Carolinas titles in 2021-23) and has been frequently ranked among the Southeast Region’s elite programs.
Andersson’s coaching journey began in Sweden — his native Vuollerim — after which he came to the U.S. as a high-school exchange student. He played locally abroad, served in the Swedish military, and earned his degrees in physical education (bachelor’s, summa cum laude) and a master’s before launching his collegiate coaching career. He held head‐coach roles at Reinhardt College (men’s team) and Cumberland College (women’s program) prior to his long tenure at UNCP, and brought a strong focus on both athletic performance and academic achievement: his teams have produced All-Americans, scholar-Athletes, and numerous conference honorees.
