East Tennessee State University Athletic Director Dr. Richard Sander announced on Monday that Allen Vital has been hired as the men’s soccer team head coach. Vital is just the fifth head coach in the history of the program. The team is very excited to welcome Vital as a new Buccaneer.

Vital takes over the men’s soccer team with over 27 years of head coaching experience under his belt. Throughout Coach Vital’s career, he has had loads of success and is well respected throughout the entirety of the soccer community.

Allen Vital coaches Tusculum from the sidelines. (Contributed/WGRV)

Previously, Vital coached 14 years at Carson-Newman and just more recently he finished his 13th season at Tusculum. Over his career, Coach Vital has led his teams to ten NCAA Division II Tournament berths and twelve conference regular season and conference tournament championships.

Vital led his team to the Sweet 16 three times and the Elite Eight twice out of those ten NCAA Tournament occurrences. Coach Vital is the second-most successful coach in South Atlantic Conference history with 256 career wins, with 118 being in conference play.

Furthermore, Coach Vital’s 256 victories rank 42nd all-time in wins and win percentage and 15th

overall among active NCAA Division II head coaches. Vital is a great inspiration to players not only on the field but off the field as well. The Buccaneers are elated to have someone with such a terrific background leading them this upcoming season.

Coach Vital is very excited to lead the Buccaneers to greatness, stating “I am eager to get started and look forward to meeting the current soccer players as well as all the other members of the ETSU Buccaneer family. I thank search committee members, Dr. Richard Sander and Dr. Brian Noland for the trust they have put in me to lead the ETSU men’s soccer program.”

With such a great history behind him, East Tennessee State University is eager to see where Coach Vital will take the Buccaneers in the 2024 season.

For more information about ETSU men’s soccer, visit ETSUBucs.com.

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