Georgia Southwestern State University Director of Athletics Mike Leeder has announced the hiring of Joe Barber as the new head men’s soccer coach for the Hurricanes. Barber joins GSW after serving as associate head coach at Gardner-Webb University for the past two seasons and will officially begin his role on March 3.
“We are really excited that Joe has accepted our offer to be the fourth men’s soccer coach in Hurricane history,” Leeder said. “We identified him very early in the process as someone who could come in and elevate our program to the upper echelon of the Peach Belt Conference, and we can’t wait to get him started.”
Proven Track Record of Success
During the 2024 season, Barber helped guide Gardner-Webb to its first-ever Big South Conference tournament title and an NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Championship berth. The Bulldogs upset Oregon State in the first round before falling to the University of Denver in the second round, finishing the season 13-4-3.
Prior to his time at Gardner-Webb, Barber served as the head coach at Milligan University (NAIA) in 2022, where he was named Appalachian Athletic Conference Coach of the Year after leading the team to a 10-3-7 record and an NAIA National Championship Tournament appearance.
“I am absolutely thrilled to be heading back to the state of Georgia to lead Georgia Southwestern men’s soccer,” Barber said. “I will strive daily to bring success to the program by developing student-athletes, competing for Peach Belt Championships, and making NCAA tournament appearances.”
Deep Ties to Georgia and the Southeast
Barber’s coaching resume includes NCAA Division I assistant coaching roles at Georgia Southern (2018-20) and Temple University (2016-17), along with experience at Auburn University at Montgomery (2021), Eastern Florida State College (2015), and the University of Mobile (2014).
A native of Leeds, England, Barber played collegiately at Limestone University and Florida Tech, earning a degree in business administration with a minor in sustainability in 2014.
With his wealth of recruiting experience in the Southeast, GSW Athletics is confident that Barber’s leadership will help elevate the Hurricanes into a Peach Belt Conference contender.
