Chandler O’Dwyer Bio
Chandler O’Dwyer (born 1 March 1999) is an English professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder and striker for Sarasota Paradise in USL League One. Standing at 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in), he wears the number 27 shirt and represents one of the newer English talents building a career across the American lower divisions.
After beginning his playing days in Surrey, O’Dwyer moved to the United States to combine a college education with semi-professional football. He has since progressed from the college ranks at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Christian Brothers University to a senior career that has taken him through Des Moines Menace, Richmond Kickers, and Sarasota Paradise.
Early Life and Background
Chandler O’Dwyer was born on 1 March 1999 in Lingfield, a small town in the English county of Surrey. The town, historically associated with horse racing, provided a quiet backdrop for his early years and his first steps in organized football. Like many English prospects of his generation, he entered the youth system of a local non-league club and worked his way up through age-group football before reaching senior football.
His footballing education began in earnest at Three Bridges, an Isthmian League side based in Crawley, West Sussex. The club has a long record of developing young players in southern England, and O’Dwyer’s time in its youth setup helped him transition into competitive adult matches by his late teens.
Path to Soccer
O’Dwyer’s first taste of senior football came with Three Bridges in 2017, where he was given the opportunity to play in the Isthmian League as a teenager. The experience offered him a clear view of the demands of men’s football and helped shape his development as an attacking midfielder.
In 2018, O’Dwyer crossed the Atlantic to take up a college soccer scholarship at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Across two seasons with the UMass Minutemen, he made 22 appearances and recorded five assists, building a reputation as a creative presence in midfield. The cancellation of the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted that spell, but O’Dwyer responded by transferring to Christian Brothers University for the 2020–21 campaign, where his form took a major step forward.
Chandler O’Dwyer Career
Early Career (2017–2021)
O’Dwyer’s senior career began in 2017 with Three Bridges in the Isthmian League, where he gained his first sustained experience of men’s football. The following year, he moved into the U.S. college system, spending two seasons with the UMass Minutemen and contributing five assists in 22 appearances before the 2020 season was cancelled.
After transferring to Christian Brothers University, O’Dwyer enjoyed a breakout year, scoring 17 goals in 24 appearances for the Buccaneers. His performances earned him a place on the 2020 Gulf South Conference All-Tournament Team, D2CCA First Team All-South Region honours in 2021, the Gulf South Conference Offensive Player of the Year award, and selection to the GSC Spring Academic Honor Roll. During this college spell, he also played for Des Moines Menace in USL League Two, scoring once in 13 appearances across the regular season and playoffs.
Richmond Kickers Breakthrough (2022–2025)
On 8 February 2022, O’Dwyer signed his first professional contract with USL League One side Richmond Kickers. He made his professional debut on 23 April 2022 in a 1–0 USL Cup win over North Carolina Fusion U-23, and his league debut followed on 2 July 2022, when he came off the bench in a 4–1 win over North Carolina FC. In his debut professional season, he made three appearances and lifted a trophy with the Kickers.
The 2023 season brought O’Dwyer his first goals in professional football. On 30 August 2023, he scored in a 3–3 draw against Central Valley Fuego, and on 14 October 2023 he netted again in a 4–5 loss to the same opponent. By 2024, he had become a regular contributor, scoring in the U.S. Open Cup second round in a 5–2 win over Maryland Bobcats, registering two goals in a 3–2 win over Central Valley Fuego, finding the net in a 1–2 win over One Knoxville, and bagging a brace in a 3–2 USL Cup win over Spokane Velocity. He also assisted Nil Vinyals in a 3–0 win over Lexington before the Kickers were eliminated in the playoffs by Union Omaha.
O’Dwyer opened the 2025 season strongly, scoring in a 4–2 win over Tormenta FC and again in a 3–1 win over expansion side AV Alta. He added two assists in a 4–4 draw with expansion club Westchester SC, struck in a 3–3 draw with Greenville Triumph, and rounded out his Richmond spell with a goal in a 2–3 loss to Charlotte Independence on 20 September 2025. He finished his final Kickers season with 28 appearances and four goals before departing when his contract was declined.
Sarasota Paradise Era (2025–Present)
Following his exit from Richmond, O’Dwyer signed for USL League One expansion club Sarasota Paradise, becoming part of the new franchise’s inaugural squad. The move marked a fresh start for the English attacker and offered him a clear opportunity to play a leading role for a club in its first season of senior competition.
Joining an expansion side in 2025 allowed O’Dwyer to step into a senior creative role from the outset, with his experience from the Richmond Kickers expected to help shape the team’s attacking identity in USL League One.
Driving Style and Strengths
O’Dwyer is an attacking midfielder capable of playing as a striker, with a creative passing range, an eye for goal, and comfort operating in tight spaces in the final third. His height gives him a useful presence in the air, while his college scoring record and consistent goal contributions in USL League One reflect a player who combines technical quality with a strong finishing instinct.
Notable Events and Milestones
Key moments in O’Dwyer’s career include his first professional contract with the Richmond Kickers in February 2022, his first professional goal against Central Valley Fuego in August 2023, his U.S. Open Cup goal against Maryland Bobcats in 2024, and a brace in a 3–2 USL Cup win over Spokane Velocity in the same season. He also lifted silverware with the Kickers in his debut campaign and earned the Gulf South Conference Offensive Player of the Year award in 2021.
Chandler O’Dwyer Career Wins
Across his senior career, Chandler O’Dwyer has collected team honours with the Richmond Kickers and recorded individual accolades during his time at Christian Brothers University. His trophy with the Kickers came in his first professional season, while his college awards highlighted his emergence as one of the top attacking players at NCAA Division II level.
USL League One Highlights
In USL League One, O’Dwyer made his league debut on 2 July 2022 and went on to score multiple regular-season goals for the Richmond Kickers, including efforts against Central Valley Fuego, One Knoxville, and Greenville Triumph. He featured in the USL Cup, registering a brace against Spokane Velocity in 2024, and helped the Kickers reach the USL League One playoffs.
Other Wins & Performances
Beyond the professional ranks, O’Dwyer won league and cup fixtures at Three Bridges in the Isthmian League and represented Des Moines Menace in USL League Two. At Christian Brothers University, he led the Buccaneers with 17 goals in 24 appearances, earning multiple All-Region and conference honours.
Chandler O’Dwyer Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Chandler O’Dwyer grew up in Lingfield, Surrey, with roots in southern England. Limited public information is available regarding his immediate family members.
Personal Life
O’Dwyer relocated from England to the United States in 2018 to pursue his college soccer career, a move that ultimately launched his professional path. He has since based himself in the U.S. while playing in USL League One.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season began in promising fashion for Chandler O’Dwyer at the Richmond Kickers, with early goals against Tormenta FC and AV Alta underlining his importance to the team’s attack. His creativity was also evident in the 4–4 draw with Westchester SC, where he supplied two assists for Josh Kirkland, and he continued to contribute with a goal in a 3–3 draw against Greenville Triumph.
Despite his individual output, O’Dwyer’s spell with Richmond ended after his contract was declined, bringing the curtain down on a four-year run with the Kickers that included 28 appearances and four goals in his final season. His final strike for the club came in a 2–3 loss to Charlotte Independence on 20 September 2025.
Joining Sarasota Paradise offered O’Dwyer a fresh platform at an expansion club in USL League One, where his USL experience and goal-scoring pedigree position him as a central figure in the team’s inaugural campaign and a key voice in their attacking structure going forward.