J. Landham - Soccer Coach - University of Montana Athletics

J. Landham

Title:
Associate Head Coach
Email:
james.landham@umontana.edu
Phone:
243-4397

The 2024 season is J. Landham’s sixth year with the Montana soccer program, his fourth as associate head coach. His primary responsibility is training the team’s goalkeepers.

Landham, initially hired in June 2019, coached at Montana for three years, the 2019, ’20 and ’21 seasons, then spent the 2022 season at Villanova before returning to Missoula in January 2023.

In his first three seasons at Montana, Landham coached goalkeepers Claire Howard and Camellia Xu to record-breaking accomplishments.

Howard was voted the 2020 Big Sky Conference Goalkeeper of the Year after breaking the league record for career shutouts. She finished with 32 for her career.

Xu was named the 2021 Big Sky Goalkeeper of the Year and six times earned Big Sky Defensive Player of the Week honors. She finished her freshman season with 11 shutouts, a program record.

Working with Ashlyn Dvorak in 2023, Landham coached her to Big Sky Conference Freshman of the Year honors, first-team All-Big Sky honors and third-team United Soccer Coaches All-West Region honors.

Dvorak ranked second nationally in save percentage, tied for fifth in goals-against average (0.47) and tied for eighth in shutouts (11).

Dvorak matched Xu’s program record for shutouts in a season with 11 and had the second-best season in Montana history in both save percentage and goals-against average.

The Grizzlies allowed nine goals in 19 matches in 2023, a Big Sky record, allowed multiple goals just once, against Ohio State, and allowed goals in back-to-back matches only one time all season.

Montana shut out both Oklahoma and Oregon State with Dvorak four times being named the Big Sky Defensive Player of the Week.

In 2024, after Dvorak was injured five games into the season, Landham coached back-up Bayliss Flynn to Big Sky Goalkeeper of the Year honors.

Flynn went 9-0-5 in 14 starts, matched the Xu’s and Dvorak’s program record with 11 shutouts and posted a .925 save percentage, the best in the nation.

Flynn’s save percentage and goals-against average (0.35/g) were the best in program history.

In five seasons with Landham on staff, Montana has allowed 57 goals in 88 matches and posted 48 shutouts.

The Grizzlies have won four regular-season Big Sky titles under Landham and twice advanced to the NCAA tournament.

In 2022, Landham’s goalkeepers at Villanova had a 0.94 goals-against average, with 15 goals allowed in 16 matches, with four shutouts.

Originally from Hendersonville, Tenn., Landham played collegiately at Union University, then an NAIA program in Jackson, Tenn.

He was a four-year starter for the Bulldogs, three times earning All-TranSouth Conference honors.

Landham would continue his playing career with Inter Nashville FC of the National Premier Soccer League and FC Greeley (Colo.) of the United Premier Soccer League.

Landham began his collegiate coaching career with the men’s program at Union in 2012. He was an assistant and the goalkeeper coach for the Northern Colorado women’s program in 2016 and ’17.

He spent the 2018 season at Vanderbilt. The Commodores were the SEC regular-season champions and advanced to the round of 32 at the NCAA tournament.

Lauren Demarchi ended the season with an SEC-leading 0.56 goals-against average and five shutouts.

Landham has coaching experience with both the Tennessee Soccer Club and Northern Colorado Rush Soccer Club.

He earned a degree in sports medicine and exercise science from Union in 2012 and is working toward a master’s degree in sports coaching and education from Northern Colorado.

He has a C License from the United States Soccer Federation and has earned a National Diploma of Coaching and Advanced National Goalkeeper Diploma from the United Soccer Coaches.