Assistant Coach Brian Dunleavy

BRIAN DUNLEAVY

ASSISTANT COACH | FOURTH SEASON

Brian Dunleavy was hired as an assistant coach on July 16, 2019 after spending six seasons as the head coach at Georgia Southern.

Dunleavy works primarily with State’s defenders. In his second season, his defense finished the 13-game season having allowed just 10.6 shots per game and only 62 shots on goal out of 138 shots in total from their opponents. The back line held strong throughout the season, but particularly in the spring when there was only one goal allowed over four matches, with three-straight shutouts. Against Louisiana, the Bulldogs' only allowed the Ragin' Cajuns to take two shots. They only allowed five from Troy.

In his first season, MSU allowed just 12.5 shots per game, which ranks fourth in program history. The Bulldogs allowed fewer than 13.0 shots per game in three straight seasons and four of the last five years.

His defenders posted 12 points in 2019, including two players who scored their first career goals.

During his tenure at Georgia Southern, the Eagles won 41 matches, making him the second-winningest head coach in program history. Dunleavy led the Eagles to the Sun Belt Conference semifinals in 2014 and 2017 and was an assistant when GSU won the Southern Conference tournament in 2012.

His 2014 squad posted the program’s best record and highest conference finish since 2002, going 11-6-2 and finishing third. That season, Dunleavy also guided the Eagles to their highest standing in the final RPI while two players earned first-team all-conference honors and one made the league’s second team.

As a head coach, Dunleavy oversaw teams that earned five allconference selections and four NCSAA/United Soccer Coaches Team Academic Awards. Before he was promoted in 2013, he spent two seasons as an assistant for the Eagles.

In that time, the Eagles made their first conference tournament appearance since 2007, won their first conference title, made their first NCAA Tournament appearance and posted their first winning season since 2002. While serving as an assistant, Dunleavy also worked as a staff coach with the Georgia Olympic Development Program.

Dunleavy spent two years coaching at Division II Saint Leo University in Dade City, Florida where he worked with the men’s soccer program. While at Saint Leo, the Lions, posted a 15-15 overall record. Dunleavy was responsible for opponent scouting and the team’s conditioning program.

Before his time with Saint Leo, Dunleavy was the head men’s soccer coach at the College of Mount Saint Vincent, an NCAA Division III institution in the Bronx, New York, where he spent a year directing the Dolphins.

Dunleavy enjoyed a four-year playing career at Hofstra University (1999-02). Following his playing career, he joined the staff at his alma mater as an assistant coach in 2003. He helped the program win back-to-back Colonial Athletic Association Championships which garnered the team NCAA Tournament appearances in 2004 and 2005.

He holds an NSCAA National Coaching Diploma and graduated with his Bachelor of Arts in English and American Literature from Hofstra University.

A native of Levittown, New York, Dunleavy is joined in Starkville by his wife Janine, their sons Owen and Cole and daughter Mara.