Gardner-Webb University Athletics

WHAT HAS BEEN SAID ABOUT COACH SCOTT WELLS

Head coach Scott Wells enters his third season at the helm of the Runnin' Bulldogs men's soccer program after the Coventry, England, native became the third head coach in the program's history on December 22, 2022, after building UNC Greensboro into a top-5 national program as Associate Head Coach and lead recruiter.

Wells saw the fruits of his labor during the 2024 season, leading the Runnin' Bulldogs to its first-ever Big South Conference Tournament Championship after taking down nationally-ranked High Point two times in the final month of the season, including a 2-1 victory in the title game. 

Wells helped guide his team to an overall record of 13-4-3, the most wins in program history, while also going unbeaten in conference play and on the home pitch of Greene Harbison Stadium. Gardner-Webb opened the season with a 6-0-1 record that included a dominant 3-1 win over Atlantic Coast Conference Champion Wake Forest. The Runnin' Bulldogs earned the Big South's automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament following its tournament win before taking down Oregon State (1-0) in the first round.

A record number eight members of the Runnin' Bulldogs program landed on the Big South All-Conference Team following the 2024 regular season, including First Team members Elias Khodri, Max Fisher, and Leo Andrade. Giampaolo Nardi was also tabbed Big South Men's Soccer Scholar Athlete of the Year.
 
Prior to arriving in Boiling Springs, N.C., Wells helped to build the UNC Greensboro men's soccer program into a top-5 national contender as Associate Head Coach and lead recruiter.

Wells helped engineer a sensational 2022 season for the Spartans, which started with a 10-match unbeaten streak in August and September. UNCG finished the campaign with a 13-2-6 mark, won the Southern Conference regular season and conference titles and advanced all the way to the NCAA Elite Eight with tournament wins over Ohio State and Stanford. The Spartans finished the 2022 season ranked in the top-25 nationally in 12 different statistical categories. UNCG ranked ninth in total goals, 10th in shot accuracy, 12th in goal differential, 13th in total points and winning percentage, 16th in scoring offense, 18th in total assists, 19th in points per game, 20th in shots on goal, 22nd in goals against average and corner kicks per game and 25th in assists per game.
 
UNCG earned its highest ever ranking in the final national polls, coming in at No. 5 when the United Soccer Coaches poll was released in mid-December. The Spartans cracked the top-25 in early September and moved back into the polls for good on October 11.
 
Sophomore midfielder J.C. Ngando earned first-team United Soccer Coaches All-America honors after scoring 22 points and posting 14 assists – which ranked second nationally by season's end. A dozen Spartans earned postseason accolades from the Southern Conference in November.
 
Wells was also part of UNCG's 2021 SoCon championship during the spring, which saw Theo Collomb earn SoCon Freshman of the Year honors. Collomb went on to earn second-team All-America honors the following fall and was selected by Vancouver Whitecaps FC in the 2022 MLS SuperDraft following his sophomore season.
 
Wells' first stint with the Spartans began in 2019 and success followed soon after. UNCG won six of its final seven regular season matches that season, won a conference regular season title and advanced all the way to the SoCon Tournament finals. 

Wells also spearheaded the recruitment of four top-25 recruiting classes for UNCG, providing the foundation for the program's recent success. The Spartans saw 23 student-athletes earn SoCon postseason honors during Wells' tenure.

Two of his recruits, Ngando and Joey Skinner, were selected in the first round of the 2023 MLS SuperDraft on December 21. Ngando was chosen No. 5 overall by Vancouver Whitecaps FC and Skinner was taken with the No. 11 overall pick by Nashville SC. Another, defender Ethan Conley, was drafted in the second round by New York Red Bulls.
 
Success has followed Wells at each of his career stops in the sport. He came to UNCG after a terrific two-year stint as the top assistant at the University of Charleston (WV). While there, he helped guide the team to a pair of NCAA Sweet Sixteen appearances and the 2017 NCAA Division II National Championship. The Golden Eagles went 21-2-1 in 2017 and followed with an 18-1-2 mark – and unbeaten regular season – in 2018. Charleston outscored its opponents 54-3 during the 2018 campaign.
 
Wells' entrance into the college coaching ranks was sensational as well. He began as a graduate assistant coach at the University of Rio Grande (OH), helping the Red Storm to a 19-2-2 mark and a No. 1 national ranking during the 2014 regular season. The following season, as the program's top assistant, Wells saw Rio Grande win the 2015 NAIA National Championship and post a 25-2 record. The Red Storm finished the season riding a 13-match win streak.
 
Wells played collegiately at Limestone in nearby Gaffney, S.C., helping the Saints to 24 wins over two seasons as a team captain. He transferred to the school after beginning his career at Santa Barbara (Calif.) City College. Wells was a first-team All-Western State Conference choice in each of his two seasons with the Vaqueros.
 
Wells earned his B.A. in liberal studies from Limestone and a Master's Degree with a focus on collegiate leadership from Rio Grande.
 
He grew up in the Coventry City academy system in England before moving to Derby County in 2003 and Sheffield Wednesday in 2006. He came to the United States in 2007 to begin his college soccer career at Santa Barbara.
 
Wells and his wife, Carissa, are parents to three young children.