Andrew Wagstaff joined the Oakland men’s soccer team as an associate head coach and recruiting coordinator on Aug. 6, 2019.
Wagstaff returns to Oakland after spending four years as the head coach at Saginaw Valley State University. Under his direction, the Cardinals advanced to the NCAA Division II Tournament the last four consecutive seasons which included a Sweet 16 appearance in 2018 and Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Championship in 2016 and finished runner-up in 2015 and 2017. Wagstaff was also named the GLIAC Coach of the Year in 2015, 2016 and 2017.
Recently, Wagstaff helped the Flint City Bucks win the 2019 United Soccer League (USL) League Two North American National Championship as an associate head coach and will serve as the head coach in 2020. He also coach the Michigan Stars to the best finish in team history in 2016.
During the 2018 campaign, SVSU went 11-3-6 overall and 7-1-4 in GLAC play advancing to the NCAA Division II Tournament where they won the regional championship with victories over Ashland and Southern Indiana before falling to Ohio Valley in the Sweet 16. The Cardinals had multiple regional and conference players including Defender of the Year Omar Sinclair and Lukas Betz who earned Freshman of the Year honors.
In 2017, SVSU posted an overall record of 13-4-2, falling just a match shy of claiming a second straight GLIAC regular season championship. The Cardinals qualified for the NCAA Division II Tournament but would fall in the opening round to Davis & Elkins. The teams tied 1-1 before Davis & Elkins advanced on penalty kicks. There were 10 players who earned All-GLIAC honors, including GLIAC Freshman of the Year Michael Hamilton and Goalkeeper of the Year Connor Keane. All-GLIAC First-Team honors were given to freshman Michael Hamilton, senior Matt Wilson, junior Connor Rutz, senior Dom Hart, junior Omar Sinclair and sophomore Connor Keane. All-GLIAC Second-Team honors were awarded to sophomore Azaad Liadi, junior Michael Shaikly, and junior Oakley Hanger. Brian Sockow was given All-GLIAC Honorable Mention honors as well. Connor Keane, Omar Sinclair, and Connor Rutz were named to the D2CCA All-Midwest Regional team as well.
The 2016 season saw the Cardinals claim the GLIAC Regular Season Championship and post an overall mark of 15-5-1. SVSU advanced to the NCAA Division II Tournament, where they hosted the first round and fell by a 2-1 count to Drury University. Tyler Stephens was named the GLIAC Defensive Player of the Year and Roderic Green was tabbed as the GLIAC Freshman of the Year. Eight Cardinals earned All-GLIAC plaudits.
In his first season as head coach, Wagstaff earned GLIAC Coach of the Year after leading Saginaw Valley to an overall record of 15-4-1 overall and 12-2-0 in the GLIAC, ranking second in the conference. The Cardinals also made it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Tyler Channell earned Offensive Player of the Year as well as All-GLIAC First Team and was an unsigned player in the Major League Soccer (MLS) supplemental draft. Jordan Kalk, Aleksander Isaevski, and Troy Watson also earned All-GLIAC First Team. Tyler Stephens, Vaughn Frederick and Alex Bouillennec earned All-GLIAC Second Team and Omar Sinclar earned Honorable Mention.
As an assistant coach at Oakland for three seasons (2012-14), Wagstaff helped the Golden Grizzlies to a pair of regular season championships. In 2014, Oakland won both the Horizon League regular season and tournament championships, going on to defeat Kentucky in the opening round of the NCAA Championships. It was just the second time the Golden Grizzlies advanced to the second round of the College Cup, as Oakland finished the season receiving votes in the final NSCAA/Continental Tire Division I Postseason Rankings. Wagstaff also served as an assistant coach for the women’s team from 2002-2004.
Prior to his time at Oakland, Andy spent two seasons as an assistant coach at the University of Michigan.
Prior to coaching in the United States, he served as an Academy Coach for Bolton Wanderers FC from 1998-99 and Liverpool FC Academy between 1999-2002.
In addition to his collegiate and professional coaching experience, Wagstaff has a history of success at the high school and club levels. He served as the Director of Coaching and President for the Bloomfield Force Soccer Club now officially known as the Liverpool Football Club. Wagstaff helped lead the U18 girls to the 2007 USYSA National Championship and earned the title of 2007 NSCAA Midwest Girls "Coach of the Year." In 2008, Andy's U19 girls became the first team in Michigan to win back-to-back National Championships. He won the 2008 Michigan State Cup with his boy's U19 team as well. Wagstaff coached the Lahser High School men's varsity team to the MHSAA Division II State Championship in 1999 and runner-up honors in 2002.
Wagstaff has a United States Soccer Federation (USSF) A coaching license and Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) A license from England.
As a four-year letter winner at Oakland, Wagstaff helped lead the then Pioneers to the NCAA Division II championship match in 1994 and the NCAA semifinals in 1991. He was an NSCAA Athletic Academic All-American in 1992 and was named to the 1994 Umbro All-Midwest College Select team.
Following his career at Oakland, Wagstaff played professional indoor soccer for the Detroit Neon and Detroit Rockers. He also played for the Michigan Bucks. As a youth, he played for the Bury Football Club and the Huddersfield Town AFC in the English Second Division.
Wagstaff currently resides in Grand Blanc, Michigan with his wife Lindsey, daughter Charlie and son Drew.
