James Gledhill is entering his fifth full season as the Head Coach for the Belhaven Men’s Soccer Program after taking over during the 2020-21 campaign as interim.
In 2024, Gledhill led the Blazers to a historic campaign for an already storied program. The Blazers won their first ever Collegiate Conference of the South Championship as they took down Covenant 2-0 in the CCS Tournament Final and earned their first ever berth to the NCAA Tournament. Gledhill and the Blazers went 12-4-4 overall in the 2024 campaign with a 4-1-1 record. Their success was achored by CCS Goalkeeper of the Year Danny Bahena who headlined a class of seven All-CCS honorees including Igor Rudolph, Wesley Bloodworth and Ciaran Colvin who were all named to the All-CCS First Team.
The 2023 season ended well for the Blazers who continued to progress through the latter stages of the campaign. Belhaven ended the season on a run to the CCS Championship Match where they placed as CCS runners-up. The tournament run also included hosting a CCS tournament match for the first time. The Blazers picked up five All-CCS selections at the end of the year and saw goalie Max Rudoph named the league's Goalkeeper of the Year.
Under Gledhill's direction, three Blazers All-CCS honors in the program's first season in the league which saw Belhaven knocked out in the first round of the CCS Tournament. In 2021, five Blazers were named to the ASC All-Conference teams in what was a six-win season for Belhaven.
Prior to being named Interim Head Coach in the Spring of 2021, Gledhill served as an Assistant Coach for the Blazers under Carl Griffiths, having joined the staff ahead of the 2018-19 campaign.
A native of Huddersfield, England, Gledhill joins the Blazers' staff following two years as the men’s assistant coach at Temple University in Philadelphia, PA. During his tenure with the Owls, Temple boasted a 19-14-2 record including back-to-back winning seasons and an AAC Conference semi-final appearance. The Owls accomplished 8 All-AAC conference selections including MLS Draft Pick, Jorge Gomez Sanchez. In both years Gledhill helped the team receive NSCAA All-Academic team awards, including Alex Cagle receiving Temple University Scholar Athlete of the year.
Previous to joining Temple, Gledhill spent four years as the Head Women's Soccer Coach at Holmes Community College in Goodman, Mississippi. During his tenure with the Lady Bulldogs, Gledhill led the team to two runners-up spots in the MACJC North Division Conference.
Prior to his years at Holmes, Gledhill spent three seasons as the assistant coach at Mississippi College. Whilst there the Choctaws were ASC runners-up, nationally ranked for the first time and boasted 11 Academic All-Americans.
In 2005, Gledhill played a professional season with the Wilmington Hammerheads in North Carolina, where he was a leading goal scorer for the team.
In his college career, Gledhill spent three seasons at the University of Mobile where he became a two-time All-American and led the Rams to their first-ever National Championship as a senior in 2002. During the NAIA National Tournament that year, Gledhill was named the Tournament MVP. In his three seasons with the Rams, Gledhill was the top scorer for the team in two of those years.
In 2001, as a junior in college, Gledhill spent one year at Fairfield University. During his season with the Stags, Gledhill set the school record for goals scored in a single season and led the conference in scoring, propelling the Stags to their highest ever NCAA D1 ranking of #12 in the nation.
Gledhill graduated from the University of Mobile with a Bachelor's degree in communications in 2003. In 2008 he obtained his Masters in Applied Communications from Mississippi College.
Currently, Gledhill holds four coaching licenses that include a USSF A License, a UEFA B License, a NSCAA Premier Diploma, and a National Youth License.
Collegiate Coaching Record
| Year |
School |
Record |
Conference Record / Regular Season Finish |
Postseason |
| 2024 |
Belhaven |
12-4-4 |
4-1-1 / 2nd |
CCS Tournament Champions, NCAA Tournament |
| 2023 |
Belhaven |
9-4-5 |
3-1-2 / 2nd |
CCS Tournament Runner-Up |
| 2022 |
Belhaven |
6-7-5 |
1-3-2 / 6th |
n/a |
| 2021 |
Belhaven |
6-8-1 |
3-6 / 6th |
n/a |
| 2020-21 |
Belhaven |
1-2-1 |
1-1-1 / 3rd (West) |
n/a |
| 2015 |
Holmes CC |
8-7-1 |
4-4-1 / 3rd (North) |
n/a |
| 2014 |
Holmes CC |
7-7-2 |
2-5-1 / 4th (North) |
n/a |
| 2013 |
Holmes CC |
8-6-2 |
4-2-2 / 2nd (North) |
n/a |
| 2012 |
Holmes CC |
6-8 |
3-5 / 3rd (North) |
n/a |
| Total (9) |
|
63-53-21 |
25-28-10 |
|
Blazers Under Coach Gledhill
Conference Superlatives
- Max Rudolph
- CCS Goalkeeper of the Year (2023)
- Danny Bahena
- CCS Goalkeeper of the Year (2024)
All-Conference
- Fifteen CCS All-Conference Selections
- Nine ASC All-Conference Selections
- Nine CCS Academic All-Conference Selection
- 38 ASC Academic All-Conference Selections
Coaching Career Timeline
| Years |
School |
Position |
| 2021-pres. |
Belhaven (Div. III) |
Head Men's Soccer Coach |
| 2021 |
Belhaven (Div. III) |
Interim Head Men's Soccer Coach |
| 2018-21 |
Belhaven (Div. III) |
Assistant Men's Soccer Coach |
| 2016-18 |
Temple (Div. I) |
Assistant Men's Soccer Coach |
| 2012-16 |
Holmes (JC) |
Head Women's Soccer Coach |
| 2010-12 |
Holmes (JC) |
Assistant Men's Soccer Coach |
| 2006-09 |
Mississippi College (Div. III) |
Assistant Men's Soccer Coach |
| 2004-06 |
Univ. of Mobile (NAIA) |
Assistant Men's Soccer Coach |
