Paul Gilbert just completed his sixth season at the helm of the Chaps, leading a rising Lubbock Christian programs with its sights set on a Lone Star Conference title and berth in the NCAA Postseason Tournament. He has an overall record of 42-48-10 at LCU, making him the program’s all-time leader in wins.
Most recently, Gilbert led his team during the rocky and uncertain year of the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw the Lone Star Conference move soccer season to the spring and shrink the schedule to just nine games. The Chaps finished the year 4-5 and had seven players recognized on various All-Conference teams. With the team's 1-0 win at Texas A&M International, Gilbert became the program's all-time leader in wins.
In 2019, Gilbert won nine games for the second straight season, leading LCU to a 9-7-2 record and a berth in the Lone Star Conference Tournament as the No. 5 seed. Four Chap players were honored by the Lone Star Conference, including LSC Defensive Player of the Year Ivan Muanze-Bengono. The defender was also placed on the All-Conference First Team along with Fernando Flores, and both players were recognized on multiple All-Region Teams.
The 2018 season was the Chaps’ first step in the right direction, as they won nine games for the first time since 2014 with a 9-7-3 overall record. LCU beat a ranked West Texas A&M team twice during the regular season to se-cure the Heartland Conference’s West Division crown and advance to the league’s postseason tournament. There, they won their first-ever Heartland Tournament game, upsetting the No. 3 seeded St. Mary’s 2-1. Two players, Richie Vaca-Cordova and Ivan Muanze-Begono, were named to the United Soccer Coaches All-Region Team after the season.
LCU posted identical 5-11-2 records in each of Gilbert’s first two seasons as the Liberty graduate worked to instill his culture in the program. During his inaugural season at the helm in 2016, the Chaps recorded road wins over Adams State, Texas A&M International and UT Permian Basin as well as home wins against Oklahoma Christian and Rogers State. The 2017 season saw Gilbert lead his team to an increased number of home wins, including victories over Adams State, Dallas Baptist, Eastern New Mexico and St. Mary’s, as well as a 1-1 draw on the road against then-No. 3 ranked Midwestern State.
Gilbert arrived in Lubbock in January 2016 as the fourth head coach in LCU program history following two years as an assistant coach at the Big Ten level. He was the volunteer assistant coach for Michigan State University’s men’s and women’s soccer programs, specializing in the goalkeeper training. Gilbert also assisted in the daily operations of the soccer office, focusing on travel coordination, practice and training plans and on-campus recruiting.
In the 2015 season, Gilbert worked with both MSU soccer programs and also helped the staff with preparations for summer camps at MSU. The men’s program completed a NCAA Tournament appearance in 2014 with a 12-5-6 record and finished the 2015 season with an 8-9-2 mark. The women’s program went 8-6-4 last season and Gilbert helped train goalkeeper Gabrielle Gauruder, who was leading the Big Ten in conference save percentage.
Gilbert arrived at Michigan State after serving as an assistant coach at Adrian College during the 2012 and 2013 seasons. While at Adrian College, Gilbert coached two All-Conference goalkeepers and one All-Region player, including Niko Giantsopoulos who finished in the top-15 NCAA Division III ranking in save percentage (.867) and total saves (143). In addition, he interned as a staff coach of the goalkeepers at the Darlington School Soccer Academy, coaching Stanford’s Jane Campbell, who is a member of the U.S. Women’s National Team.
He resides in Lubbock with his wife Erinn and two sons Luka and Solomon.
