BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – Head coach Jonathan Lagos of the Gardner-Webb men' soccer team has announced the hiring of Josh Nakayama as the Associate Head Coach of the program.
Nakayama brings a proven track record of program development, player growth, and competitive success to the collegiate men's soccer landscape. A results-driven coach, Nakayama has built his reputation on cultivating high-performance student-athletes while establishing winning cultures rooted in accountability, integrity, and academic excellence.
Nakayama most recently served as the Head Men's Soccer Coach at Midland University, where he led the program from 2021 to the present. During his tenure, he compiled a 43-35-16 overall record while guiding the program through a steady upward trajectory. His leadership produced multiple winning seasons, highlighted by a 13-4-2 campaign in 2025-26. Under his direction, Midland student-athletes earned significant conference recognition, including the GPAC Offensive Player of the Year in 2024 and 2025 and the GPAC Defensive Player of the Year in 2025.
In addition to his head coaching duties, Nakayama has served as an NAIA National Coaches Rater since 2022 and contributed to the Midwest ARC Committee, helping evaluate and shape the national landscape of collegiate soccer.
Before taking over the Midland program, Nakayama spent three seasons as an assistant coach and goalkeeper coach at Bethel University from 2018-21. During that time, he helped lead the Pilots to a 13-5-1 season and an appearance in the NAIA National Tournament in 2020-21. Bethel also captured the Crossroads League regular season championship and reached the NCCAA National Final in both 2019 and 2020.
Nakayama has also gained experience in the USL League Two developmental environment, serving as an assistant and goalkeeper coach with South Bend Lions FC while working with the club's U18 academy to implement technical and tactical development plans for players pursuing professional opportunities.
Prior to entering the collegiate ranks, Nakayama enjoyed a successful run as the head boys' soccer coach at Penn High School from 2014-18. He compiled a 58-17-4 record, led the program to its first undefeated regular season (14-0-2), and guided the team to a Northern Indiana Conference championship and a state semifinal appearance. His success earned him Northern Indiana Conference Coach of the Year honors.
Alongside his coaching career, Nakayama has been active in the classroom, serving as an adjunct professor in the College of Health Professions at Midland University and previously teaching in Bethel University's kinesiology department. Earlier in his career, he worked as a physical education teacher in the Penn School Corporation.
Nakayama played collegiately at Bethel College from 2007-11 before transitioning into coaching. He holds a USSF "D" Coaching License and earned his MBA with a focus in Leadership from Bethel University in 2020 after completing his bachelor's degree in Physical Education and Health.
