Coaches

Chris McBride

With strong ties both the region and the Sun Belt Conference, Chris McBride begins his fourth year as head coach of the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Soccer team after officially being named the fourth coach in school history on Feb. 24, 2022.


The 2024 season was a good one for the Ragin' Cajuns. McBride piloted Louisiana to the best winning percentage in school history (.550) with the fewest losses in a season (5). Louisiana began the season with a seven-match unbeaten streak, matching the longest such streak in school history. During that streak, the Cajuns beat Middle Tennessee, 5-1, the team's largest margin of victory and most goals scored in a game since 2021.


Louisiana had a stout defense in 2024. Natalie Mayes posted seven shutouts in net to set the program single season record. Louisiana's 1.10 goals against are the fewest in school history. The Ragin' Cajuns also set the program's single game attendance record when 2,475 fans were in the stands to see the team host South Alabama.


Louisiana went 7-9-2 in 2023 in McBride's second season in Lafayette. The team made a late charge at the Sun Belt Conference postseason, winning three of the last five, to clinch a spot in the SBC Championships, where they fell in the opening round.


McBride, who came to UL after successful five-year run at in-state school Southeastern Louisiana, brings a hard work ethic to the program which returns 16 letterwinners from the 2022 squad.


During his tenure in Hammond, he led SLU to the 2020 Southland Conference Tournament title and guided the team to its fourth appearance in the NCAA Tournament, where it dropped a tightly-contested 1-0 match to No. 22 Rutgers.


Following the 2020 season, he was named the Southland Coach of the Year. Additionally, he coached both the league's Freshman of the Year (Emma Jones) and Newcomer of the Year (Makenzie Maher).


While in Hammond, he coached 11 All-Southland Conference players, including first-team selections Mya Guillory and Megan Gordon in 2021. Gordon also earned Midfielder of the Year honors.


Prior to arriving at SLU, McBride spent one season as an assistant coach at South Alabama under head coach Graham Winkworth. In his lone season, he helped the Jags win their fourth straight Sun Belt title and an appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Before joining the Jaguars, he spent four seasons at North Alabama where he guided the Lions to three appearances in the NCAA Division II Tournament.


McBride is a 2011 graduate of Martin Methodist, serving as team captain twice in a four-year career during which time the RedHawks won one TranSouth Conference regular-season championship and one league tournament title in addition to advancing the quarterfinals of the 2009 NAIA Tournament.


As a senior in 2010, McBride, who was selected a TranSouth scholar athlete on three occasions, was named an Academic All-American while receiving both the Tom Read Academic Award for the highest grade-point average by a male student-athlete and the Royce Hughes Physical Education Non-Licensure Award.


Serving as an assistant coach in 2011, he helped MMC to a 14-2-2 overall record as the RedHawks would claim the TranSouth regular-season championship while advancing to the final 16 of the NAIA Tournament.


A native of Scotland, McBride earned his Master's degree in Health and Human Performance from the University of North Alabama in 2013. He received a Bachelor's degree from Martin Methodist (now Tennessee Southern) in Physical Education with a minor in Biology, graduating with Magna Cum Laude honors.


McBride was one of 30 coaches selected from more than 300 applicants in August to the 2017-18 United Soccer Coaches 30 Under 30 Program, a year-long education and mentorship opportunity for a select few up-and-comers who have made soccer coaching their career of choice.


McBride holds a Scottish Youth F.A. level "E" and "D" License as well as Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3 Licenses in Goalkeeping from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, in addition to an NSCAA National Diploma and has also helped coach the Alabama Olympic Development Program. He completed the United Soccer Coaches Advanced National Diploma this summer.


McBride and his wife, Sally, have two sons, Aidan and Ewan.