Matt O’Sullivan is in his first season on the UC Irvine Men’s Soccer Staff after joining in early 2017.
O’Sullivan arrives from NCAA Division II powerhouse St. Edward’s University after he was named as part of the NSCAA Division II South-Central Regional Staff of the Year in 2016. The Hilltoppers of St Edward’s were nationally ranked in five of his seven years, as high as 3rd in the country during the 2016 season and made three straight NCAA National tournaments, including being the number 1 seed in the South-Central region in 2014 and 2016.
During O’Sullivan’s tenure in Austin, St. Edward’s won five Heartland Conference titles with an impressive combined record of 87-31-15. They were the first Heartland Conference team ever to go undefeated in a season during 2014 and followed it up with the same feat in 2015, winning 27 straight conference games. As St. Edward’s recruiting coordinator he brought in 13 All Americans, 26 all-region and 48 all-conference student-athletes. St. Edward’s were impressive on the defensive side of the ball as they led the nation in Goal against average (0.50) in 2015 with 14 shutouts and were ranked No. 1 nationally in shutouts (15) in 2016 with 0.45 GAA.
Prior to arriving at St. Edward’s in 2010, O’Sullivan started coaching college soccer at NCAA Division II outfit the University of the Incarnate Word, were they won two Heartland Conference championships and made the NCAA Division II national tournament with an overall record of 35-20-4 over his three seasons.
Before starting with his coaching career, O’Sullivan played at California State University, Bakersfield for three seasons (2003-05) where he was part of the 2004 CCAA championship team that advanced to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Division II Tournament. He earned first team All-CCAA honors after leading his team in goals and assists in 2005. O’Sullivan scored 13 goals from the midfield and added 10 assists over his three years at CSUB including a hat trick against defending NCAA National Champion Somona State.
O’Sullivan, a native of Preston, England, graduated CSU Bakersfield in 2007 with his Bachelor’s Degree in Exercise Science and completed his Master’s Degree in 2009 from University of the Incarnate Word in Business Sports Management. He and his Wife, Taylar, have a daughter, Georgie.
The O'Sullivan File
- 2016 NSCAA Division II South-Central Regional Staff of the Year
- Assistant Coach, St. Edward's University
- Assistant Coach, University of the Incarnate Word
- 2003-05, CSU Bakersfield
