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Kwame Oduro
Kwame Oduro enters his ninth season as the head coach of the St. Bonaventure men’s soccer team in 2023. Oduro was appointed the seventh head coach in the history of the program on Dec. 18, 2014.
During his time leading the program, Oduro has led a resurgence in Bonnies men's soccer. He has recruited and developed six Atlantic 10 All-Rookie Team selections, two United Soccer Coaches All-Region honorees and four players have received A-10 Academic Team nods.
During the shortened spring 2021 season, the Bonnies posted a 4-4-1 mark. In 2022, the Bonnies remained in the hunt for the Atlantic 10 Tournament until the season's final day.
The Bonnies have also excelled in the classroom under Oduro, posting a 3.39 GPA during the 2021-22 academic year while the team has remained above a cumulative GPA of 3.0 during his entire tenure. His teams have earned national recognition for their academic success from the United Soccer Coaches Association and recognized by the NCAA for standout Academic Progress Rate (APR).
In 2017, Oduro guided the Bonnies to an 8-9-2 overall record including a 4-4 mark in Atlantic 10 play and a spot in the A-10 Tournament for the first time since 2010. The team also registered five shutouts, the most for the program in seven years. Oduro's group doubled their win total from the previous season and posted their first four-game winning streak in the A-10 since 1999. His squad found a way to win in dramatic fashion, going 4-1-2 in overtime games and earned an A-10 Tournament berth in the season's final day with a 2-1 victory over No. 22 VCU at home. The Bonnies also scored a win over Albany which was just outside the national Top 25 rankings at the time of SBU's victory, 1-0. Senior Kieran Toland was recognized as the National Player of the Week by both the United Soccer Coaches Association and NCAA for his work in the season's final week while Nicola Bonso was named to the Atlantic 10's All-Rookie Team.
In 2018, the Bonnies remained in the Atlantic 10 playoff race until the season's final day, finishing 7-9-1 overall. Senior Kosi Nwafornso was one of the league's top scorers, earning All-Atlantic 10 and United Soccer Coaches All-Region honors. Newcomer Isaac Boamah was another successful recruit for Oduro as he was named to the A-10's All-Rookie Team as well. Following the 2019 campaign, freshman Joshua Pulla earned a spot on the conference All-Rookie Team while Shea Currey was picked to the A-10 All-Academic Team.
Following the 2023 season, sophomore Matthew Wrobel was selected to the United Soccer Coaches All-Southeast Region Third Team after ranking among the A-10’s best offensive threats. Wrobel also garnered Atlantic 10 All-Rookie Team honors the season before, scoring five goals and adding two assists in his debut season in the Brown and White.
Oduro has also been able to reunite the men's soccer alumni with the program. He was critical in establishing a Soccer Alumni Weekend, in partnership with the women's soccer team.
The first season under Oduro showed a young and inexperienced men’s soccer team that showed fight throughout the 2015 season. Oduro was able to help lead the Bonnies to the program’s first conference win in nearly two years, a road victory at George Washington - the 2015 Atlantic 10 Regular Season Champions. A year later, the Bonnies doubled their win total.
Before coming to St. Bonaventure, Oduro was an assistant coach at Canisius College for four seasons. During his time there under head coach Dermot McGrane, Oduro helped turn around the fortunes of the Canisius program. In the 2014 season, the Golden Griffins set a school record for wins in a season with nine -- eight of the wins coming by shutout. Oduro recruited nationally-ranked high school players, All-North Atlantic Team Regional All-American players and 30 players who made the All-MAAC Academic Team. Each of the past two seasons, Canisius received the NSCAA Academic Team Award with a team GPA of at least 3.0. During Oduro's time at Canisius, the squad was ranked 30th in the nation in scoring offense in 2012 and received National Soccer Coaches Association of America top 25 votes numerous times.
In addition to his duties at Canisius, Oduro was also a coach for the New England Revolution Empire Youth Club team. He led the squad to two state cup championships as well as co-champions of the US Soccer Region 1 League during the 2012-13 campaign
Prior to joining the Griffs, Oduro was a part of the coaching staff at Division II Nyack College. In his first season with Nyack, the squad won its first conference title at the Division II level, not allowing a single goal in the playoffs. While at Nyack, Oduro recruited and mentored three All-American players.
As a player, Oduro was a standout for the Niagara Purple Eagles from 2004 to 2006, helping Niagara earn back-to-back MAAC Tournament bids for the first time in the program's history during his junior and senior campaigns. In 2006, Oduro captained the Purple Eagles to one of the most successful seasons in school history. Niagara placed second in the MAAC standings, the program's highest finish, and ranked fifth in the NSCAA North Atlantic Region. He was named to the MAAC All-Tournament Team and also earned team MVP honors. Also during the 2006 campaign, Oduro ranked in the top-20 in the NCAA in points. He ranks in the top-10 all-time in points with the Purple Eagles.
Following his playing career at Niagara, Oduro spent time with the Cleveland Internationals in the PDL.
He began his playing career at Houghton College in 2003 where he was named the AMC Freshman of the Year, leading the team with 13 goals and guiding the squad to a NAIA Region IX Final Four appearance.
Oduro, who was born in Accra, Ghana and grew up in Toronto, Ontario, earned his bachelor's degree in political science from Niagara in 2007. He was a two-time MAAC All-Academic Team honoree, while also earning selection to the 2005 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District Second Team. Oduro also holds master's degrees in organizational leadership from Nyack and sports administration from Canisius.
Oduro holds seven coaching licenses including: UEFA B License, FAW C License, United Soccer Coaches Association of America – Premier Diploma, Advanced National Diploma, National Diploma, Director of Coaching Diploma, and Goalkeeping Level 1.
Oduro and his wife, Katie, have a daughter, Gabriella, and two sons, Elijah and Noah.
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