GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- Tusculum University men's soccer coach Allen Vital is stepping down after 13 seasons at his alma mater announced Josh Ealy, TU director of athletics.
Vital, who has amassed 256 wins as a collegiate head coach, including 90 victories at Tusculum, has accepted a similar post at NCAA Division I East Tennessee State University.
His victory tally, along with his 166 wins in his 14 years at Carson-Newman University, rank him as the second winningest men's soccer coach in South Atlantic Conference history. Included in that total are 118 league wins which are second in the SAC record book. His 90 Tusculum wins are third all-time in school history.
"I want to thank Allen for all he did during his 13 seasons with us at Tusculum," said Ealy. "He left an indelible mark on our program, which has led to many victories, championships and postseason play. But he has also made a positive impression on the lives of the student-athletes he has coached and mentored throughout his career. We wish him and his family all the best in this new and exciting chapter of their lives."
While at TU, Vital led the Pioneers to three SAC Tournament titles (2014, 2016, 2018) and a pair of trips to the NCAA II Tournament (2016, 2018). He is a six-time SAC Coach of the Year including his first year back at Tusculum when the Pioneers finished runner-up in the league.
His career record ranks in the top-40 among active NCAA Division II coaches in both wins (256) and winning percentage (.579). Vital has had 34 All-South Atlantic Conference selections during his 13 years at Tusculum.
Since his return to Tusculum, he had a student-athlete earn College Sports Communicators (former CoSIDA) Academic All-District honors on 18 occasions including three who garnered Academic All-America distinction.
"I will forever cherish my time at Tusculum. Leading the soccer program that gave so much to me in my days as a student-athlete has been very special," said Vital. The many great moments we have been able to enjoy as a program will remain some of the proudest of my coaching career. I want to thank the four athletic directors who have led the department during my time at Tusculum, and all my colleagues for their support. I want to also thank all the exceptional student-athletes that I was privileged to coach."
During his tenure at Carson-Newman, he led the Eagles to eight SAC championships (2000, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010), one SAC Tournament title (2005) and seven trips to the NCAA II Tournament (2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009).
As a collegiate player, Vital garnered All-Conference honors as a freshman and sophomore at Lees-McRae as he led the Bobcats to a pair of NJCAA Region 10 Championships. He played the 1990 and 1991 campaigns at Tusculum, where he was selected to the NAIA All-District 24 both seasons. He led the Pioneers to a combined 26-16-2 record, while capturing the 1990 Tennessee Virginia Athletic Conference Championship and followed with the 1991 NAIA District title.
Vital not only has an outstanding soccer resume, he is also a scholar. Along with a Business Administration degree from Tusculum, he minored in French and Art. Vital is trilingual, speaking English, French and Haitian Creole.
Vital and his wife, Christina (who earned her Master's degree from Tusculum in 1994), are the proud parents of three sons: Devin Alain, Jean-Pierre and Remi. Devin and J-P were teammates on the Pioneer men's soccer team for the past three seasons.
Ealy indicated that a national search for a new coach is underway.
