ETSU welcomes new men’s soccer coach Allen Vital
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) – East Tennessee State University welcomed its fifth men’s soccer head coach Monday morning.
ETSU announced earlier in February that Allen Vital, who spent the last 13 seasons at the helm of Tusculum’s soccer team, would fill the position. Vital told News Channel 11 Monday that he is excited to start leading the team.
“This is a premiere program, in my opinion, in our region and certainly in our state so this is a position that of course is a natural path for my career,” Vital said.
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Vital said he hopes to forge strong relationships with the returning players, who are coming off a 9-5-3 season led by former coach David Lilly.
“There has been a transition and probably some uncertainty for them so I need to reassure them that we are committed, we are going to work together continuing the success that they’ve built,” Vital said.
Vital saw success in Tusculum’s South Atlantic Conference as the second-winningest coach in conference history. A Tusculum alumnus, Vital has also been involved in regional youth soccer programs.
“It just became apparent that here is somebody that was very familiar with the institution, very familiar with soccer in the state of Tennessee,” ETSU Athletic Director Dr. Richard Sander said. “Somebody who had had success on a lot of different situations, a lot of different levels, taken teams to the NCAA, advanced in the NCAA.”
Sander told News Channel 11 that Vital “fit the bill perfectly” as someone who was familiar with ETSU and its community.
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