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Óli Gunnarsson

  • Title
    Assistant Coach

Óli Gunnarsson is in his fifth season as an assistant on the the Jumbo women's soccer team's staff. After three years as the Tufts goaltending coach, he continues in that role while also assuming other responsibilties as an assistant for the program.

The director of the New England Goalkeeper Academy, Gunnarsson has over a decade of goalkeeper coaching experience. A native of Iceland, Gunnarsson has 20 years of experience as a goalkeeper for some of Iceland's best professional clubs as well as the country's youth and senior national teams. While in the U.S., he was an All-American all three years of his college career at Flagler College and he was later inducted into the Flagler College Athletic Hall of Fame. He also played as a pro in the American Soccer League.

In 2018, Gunnarsson coached Tufts' All-Region and All-Conference goalkeeper Emily Bowers in her senior year. Then in 2019 he worked with freshman Hayley Bernstein whose eight shutouts led the New England Small College Athletic Conference.  Tufts advanced to the NCAA “Sweet 16” that year and finished with the program’s most wins since 2005 at 14–4–2 overall. Gunnarsson and the rest of the Jumbo coaches were honored as United Soccer Coaches Regional Staff of the Year.

Coach Gunnarsson is USSF Certified, has the Advanced National Goalkeeper Diploma from United Soccer Coaches and is currently completing his UEFA B License as well as his KSI (Icelandic soccer federation) Goalkeeping License.