University at Albany hires Sade Ayinde from Yale as women’s soccer head coach

ALBANY, N.Y. – The University at Albany has announced the hiring of Sade Ayinde as the next head coach of the Great Danes’ women’s soccer program.

Ayinde is the 14th women’s soccer head coach in program history, and eighth in the Division I era.

“I am beyond excited to serve as the next head coach of the UAlbany women’s soccer program,” said Ayinde. “I would like to thank Mark Benson, Vic Cegles, and Cara White for the time and effort they put into this entire process, and their belief in me to lead these young women on and off the field. UAlbany is a special place where the athletics department is continually growing and providing ways to allow its student-athletes to find success. I am grateful for all my past experiences, former players, and to all those that have helped me along the way to this moment, and I am thrilled to get started with the team.”

Ayinde joins UAlbany from her previous position as an Assistant Coach and Recruiting Coordinator at Yale University. Joining the Bulldogs in January, 2019, Ayinde focused her instructive efforts with the strikers and midfielders while heading up the Bulldogs’ domestic and international recruiting program. At Yale, she coached Aerial Chavarin, a 2020 NWSL draft pick and the 2019 Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year.

“We are thrilled to welcome Sade Ayinde to UAlbany and into our Great Dane family,” said UAlbany Director of Athletics Mark Benson. “She has experience as a player, coach and recruiter, both collegiately and professionally. From the club level to US Women’s Soccer, America East, and the Ivy league, her experiences made her an ideal candidate to lead our women’s soccer program. As an athletic department we strive to support our student-athletes in becoming Great Leaders, Great Champions and Great Danes. Sade shares those core values and is a great fit for the Great Danes.”

Ayinde’s time at Yale overlapped with her role as a Youth National Team Scout for U.S. Soccer. Starting in September 2017, Ayinde was assigned scouting duties for the Northeast region with a focus on New York and New Jersey.

Before joining the staff at Yale, Ayinde spent three seasons as an assistant coach at Stony Brook, where she worked primarily with the Seawolves’ defenders and goalkeepers. Over her three seasons with the Seawolves, the team won one America East title, in 2017. She was part of the 2016 staff that was named America East Coaching Staff of the Year, and she coached 11 players who earned America East All-Conference honors.

Beyond her work with the US National Team, Ayinde’s extracollegiate coaching experience extends to the Olympic Development Program, for which she has worked since 2015. She was head coach of the Connecticut GU14 from 2019-21, and an assistant coach of the Eastern New York South GU12 the three years before that.

Ayinde’s coaching career began in August, 2012, when she assumed the head coaching position at East Meadow Soccer Club, a position she held for more than six years. During her time with East Meadow, Ayinde was head coach of three teams: the Girls 2000 NPL team from 2016-19, the Girls 2000 ENCL team from 2015-16, and the Girls 2006 teams from 2015-17. She was also assistant coach for the GU16 ECNL from 2015-16, and coach of the developmental academy for youth players ages six to nine.

Ayinde was a standout striker at the University of Maryland, where in 79 appearances over four seasons she scored 16 goals and recorded 17 assists, including her highlight junior season where she scored 10 goals with seven assists. Ayinde’s Terrapins advanced to the NCAA Round of 16 in 2011 and 2009, and to the NCAA Round of 32 in 2010. In 2008, following her rookie season, she was named to the Soccer Buzz All-Mid-Atlantic Freshman Team.

After college, Ayinde toured the professional circuit, playing for the New York Magic and the Long Island Rough Riders of the W-League, as well as oversees in Sweden for Kopparberg/Göteborg FC and IF Brommapojkarna.

Before enrolling at Maryland, Ayinde was a member of the United States Youth National Pool for the U14, U16, U17, U18, and U20 teams. She was also, in 2007, named to the NSCAA/adidas Girls Youth All-America team.

For more on Ayinde, read the full announcement on UAlbanySports.com.