Saint John's University named Tudor Flintham '06 its director of soccer – head coach on Tuesday, Dec. 17. 

Flintham served as head men’s soccer coach at Gustavus Adolphus College the past seven seasons (including the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season) and directed the Gusties to a 92-20-18 (.777) record with five MIAC championships – four regular-season (2018, 2019, 2022, 2024) and one playoff (2019) – and five NCAA Division III tournament appearances (2018-19, 2022-24). 

GAC hosted NCAA Regionals in 2022 and 2024. 

“I am excited and honored to rejoin the Saint John’s community, as well as lead this new era of a historic program like Johnnie Soccer,” Flintham said. “Throughout this process I was convinced thoroughly that SJU is committed to this team being not just good, but great. I want to thank everyone who was involved in that process who made me feel so welcomed and reassured that our ambitions are fully aligned.”

Flintham was a two-time MIAC Coach of the Year (2018 and 2022) and the Gusties were ranked No. 1 in the North Region and in the top 20 nationally in each season he was at the helm. GAC was ranked as high as No. 3 nationally in 2024 and in the top eight in each of the past three seasons. Regionally, the Gusties were ranked in 50-consecutive polls and No. 1 39 times. The Gusties completed two undefeated regular seasons with two 18-game unbeaten streaks in the last three years

GAC posted a 47-6-7 (.842) record in MIAC play and produced 22 All-MIAC honorees, 15 All-Americans, 19 All-Region selections and three MIAC players of the year (offensive or defensive). In the classroom, 24 Gusties earned Academic All-District/All-Region honors, seven of which were Academic All-Americans, during his tenure.
 
“As an alum of this program, I feel I have a clear vision of what this place can be,” Flintham added. “During my time as a player, we were ranked as high as No. 6 in the country, set the NCAA-era program record for wins in a season and won the MIAC playoff championship in its third year of implementation. 

“Johnnie soccer is a sleeping giant. It’s not only a program that should be perennially competing at the top of the MIAC, but nationally. That’s the mandate we now have. We have a lot of work to do. But that change has happened fast wherever I have been and I am excited to reestablish Johnnie soccer as a household name around the North Region and Division III.”

GAC tied for the MIAC regular-season title with an 8-0-2 record and reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament last month with a 16-2-3 mark. The Gusties reached the MIAC playoff championship game and the NCAA second round with an 11-4-7 (5-2-3 MIAC) record in 2023. In 2022, Gustavus was ranked as high as No. 5 nationally, ended the regular season undefeated and finished with a 15-2-6 (9-0-1 MIAC) record. Flintham led the Gusties to an 18-3-1 (9-1-0 MIAC) record and a sweep of both the MIAC’s regular season and playoff titles in just his second season (2019).

Flintham replaces John Haws ’99, who resigned July 18 following 14 seasons as head coach. Noel Quinn, a former SJU soccer student-athlete and assistant coach, served as the interim head coach for the Johnnies in 2024 and led them to a 6-8-1 record (3-6-1 MIAC). Six of the eight losses were decided by one goal (four with a 1-0 score).

Flintham was the associate head coach at SJU from 2010-14 and also served as an assistant coach at Saint Benedict from 2012-14. The Johnnies totaled a 46-34-11 record (28-16-6 MIAC) with two MIAC Playoff championship game appearances during his five seasons on staff, while the Bennies went 37-13-6 (23-9-1 MIAC) in their three seasons with MIAC regular-season and playoff titles, and an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2013.

He is also the associate head coach of Minneapolis City SC in the USL2, the largest pre-professional soccer organization in the state, and works with high school student-athletes as a coach with the Elite Club National League’s (ECNL) Minnesota Thunder Academy.

Prior to Gustavus, Flintham served as the head coach for both the men’s and women’s soccer programs at Nebraska Wesleyan University for three seasons (2015-17). The Prairie Wolves combined for 49 wins in the three seasons, including 33 shutouts. In 2017, the men’s team went 11-7-1 and won its first postseason game in 20 years.

A native of Norwich, England, Flintham received his bachelor's degree in sociology from SJU in 2006. He registered 59 points (20g/19a) in 64 career games for the Johnnies from 2002-05. Flintham captained SJU to an MIAC playoff championship, led the conference in both goals and assists, and earned All-MIAC, Academic All-MIAC and All-Region honors in 2005. He earned his master's degree in sport management from St. Cloud State University in 2014.

After growing up in the English academy system, Flintham came to the United States for the first time with The Saints FC (a Southampton FC associated squad) where, as a player and coach, he won three consecutive USA Cups.

From 2008-10, Flintham was head girls’ soccer coach at Valley Catholic High School in Beaverton, Ore., and the program director and head coach for FC Portland Soccer Academy in Hillsboro, Ore. At Valley Catholic, he collected a 29-4-4 record and was named the 2008 NSCAA Oregon High School State Coach of the Year and was a two-time Oregon District 1 Coach of the Year.

Flintham and his wife, Theresa Naumann (CSB ’08), reside in Rogers. Theresa played volleyball at CSB and was a member of two NCAA Division III Tournament teams, advancing as far as the Sweet 16 in 2005, and served as a senior captain in 2007. She is currently the director of admission at DeLaSalle High School in Minneapolis.