New Era: Odell Hits The Ground Running
3/19/2026 6:30:00 PM | Women's Soccer
When Sam Odell arrived on campus in early December as the fifth head coach in the Division I era of USC Upstate women’s soccer, he stepped into his dream of coaching at the highest level of collegiate competition.
“It’s been a really fun and hard two months,” Odell said emphatically. “Fun doesn’t always mean everything is rosy. It’s being thrust into a new environment, a new era, a new challenge. I absolutely love working hard with an end goal in mind.”
That end goal is clear and ambitious: winning an NCAA Tournament game within five years.
Embracing the Transition
Odell inherited a program coming off one of the most successful stretches in school history. The Spartans reached three straight Big South Championship matches, winning the title in 2024 and earning a trip to the NCAA Tournament. But with that success came change. A large senior class graduated just before Odell’s arrival.
“It was very much the end of an era,” he said. “That class achieved so many things. Naturally, that leaves openings on the field and in leadership. That can feel daunting. But we’re embracing it all as an opportunity.”
Rather than viewing roster turnover as a setback, Odell sees it as a reset point. The staff brought in key transfers during the winter window, blending them with returning players who logged significant minutes last season. The result is a youthful but hungry roster.
“That blend provides a really exciting ingredients mix moving into the summer and the fall,” he said. “Because without those growing pains, the necessary learning that needs to occur cannot take place”.
The transition off the field has been equally important. Odell credits the administration for helping smooth the process.
“Matt Martin and Sarah Gildersleeve-Jones have been super supportive,” he said. “Not just getting me acclimated, but understanding the transitional period we’re moving through.”
Odell was also supported in building his staff, adding Associate Head Coach Patrick Gray and Assistant Coach Eli Fueur, who works with the goalkeepers.
Director of Athletics and Vice Chancellor for Athletics Matt Martin believes Odell is uniquely suited for the moment.
“Sam is the right person to help build off our past success and find ways to consistently improve our Upstate women’s soccer program,” Martin said. “He is a grinder and loves the game and is great for our Spartan athletic department.”
A Vision of the Future
Odell’s long-term plan extends beyond conference championships.
“When I interviewed, I gave them a five-year plan,” he said. “The goal is not just to win the Big South. The goal is to take the program to new heights.”
Those new heights include winning an NCAA Tournament game, something the program has never done.
“It’s a lofty goal,” Odell acknowledged. “But it’s attainable within that timeframe. Everything we do, recruiting, training sessions, film review, even meticulous tasks in the office, is done with that goal in mind.”
It’s a mindset shaped by his time at Shepherd University, where he engineered one of the most dramatic turnarounds in Division II soccer. Shepherd went from 1-15-2 in 2021 to 18-2-4, capturing back-to-back PSAC Championships and climbing as high as No. 5 nationally.
But Odell is quick to emphasize that success was built on development, not shortcuts.
“We believe players are not finished products when they arrive on campus,” he said. “They’re just starting. We want them to be ten times better as seniors, not just as soccer players, but as people.”
That growth mindset is central to his recruiting pitch. Upstate will play a possession-based, modern, attacking brand of soccer. Just as importantly, it will invest in individual development.
“If you have 28 players all undergoing that same development,” he said, “it becomes infectious. We are going to recruit intelligent and athletic student-athletes.”
Learning Through Adversity
Spring sessions have provided early insight into where the Spartans stand.
“In training, you’re competing against yourselves,” Odell said. “But once you play external teams and it’s a real game situation, that’s when the biggest learning happens.”
He welcomes the inevitable challenges.
“If there are no challenges, you’re probably doing something wrong, or you’re way too good for the level,” he said with a smile. “I relish that. That’s the most exciting part of the job.”
At just 30 years old, Odell is currently the youngest head coach in Division I women’s soccer. The England native, who came to the United States after an ankle injury derailed his professional playing ambitions, brings both international pedigree and youthful energy. A product of Portsmouth’s academy system, he grew up competing against top clubs across the U.K.
Now, his competitive outlet comes from the sideline and, occasionally, the over-30 recreation league in Spartanburg, where he admits he still refuses to use his right foot.
“I’m extremely left-sided dominant,” he laughed. “I’ve had to adapt.”
That adaptability may prove to be his greatest strength.
A program in transition. A young roster. A bold five-year plan.
For Odell, the first two months have laid the foundation. The next era of Upstate women’s soccer is already underway.
