Gary Boughton will begin his first season as the head coach of the women's soccer program in the fall of 2025. He became the third head coach in program history on February 12, 2025.
Boughton comes to the Lowcountry after six successful seasons leading the Trine University women’s soccer program. Under his leadership, the Thunder compiled a 57-36-14 record, including three seasons with 10 or more wins. Trine reached the MIAA Tournament four times, advancing to the finals twice. In 2021, the program earned a berth in the NCAA Division III National Tournament, narrowly falling to Carnegie Mellon, 2-1, in double overtime. While at Trine, Boughton also completed his master’s degree in Organizational Leadership, further strengthening his skills as a leader and program builder.
Prior to his time at Trine, Boughton served as the head coach at SUNY Erie College in Buffalo, N.Y., where he transformed the program into a national contender at the NJCAA Division III level. From 2016 to 2019, his teams reached the regional finals three times—winning two—and advanced to the NJCAA National Championship Game in 2016, finishing as national runners-up. In 2018, SUNY Erie earned a No. 1 national ranking for the first time in program history. He finished with a 64-25-3 record during his tenure.
Boughton is a 2009 graduate of Medaille College, where he earned a degree in sports management and made a name for himself on the field. As a four-year starter and two-year captain, he played in 84 matches and set NCAA Division III career records with 82 assists and 0.95 assists per game—marks that still stand.
Following graduation, Boughton went on to play professionally for multiple teams over a 10-year career. He and his wife, Amy, reside in Bluffton with their son, Kevin.
