Bio

Allen Vital, the 2000, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2009 South Atlantic Conference Coach of the Year and the 2003 Southeast Region Coach of the Year and 2005 Appalachian Region Coach of the Year, is entering his 14th season as head coach of the Carson-Newman men's soccer program. During his 13 years in Mossy Creek, C-N has established itself as one of the premier soccer programs in the nation.

Last season, Vital and the Eagles turned in another successful run. C-N went 14-5-1, including a 7-1 record in SAC play to claim the regular season conference title. The Eagles reached the NCAA Division II Tournament for the seventh straight year and advanced to the Southeast Region semifinals. Seven Eagles garnered All-SAC honors, including first team selections Omar Cooke (forward), Robert Hill (forward), Adam Thomas (defender) and Matthew Finlay (defender). Hill and Finlay also received first team Daktronics All-Southeast Region honors, while Cooke was named to the second team. Cooke also earned first team NSCAA All-Southeast Region honors, while Finlay was a third team selection.

In 2008, Vital guided the Eagles to an 11-5-2 record, a share of the SAC regular season title and a sixth consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament. Forward Omar Cooke, defender Thomas Ostvold and goalkeeper Jordan Moore were first team All-SAC selections. Ostvold also received second team NSCAA/Adidas Division II Men's All-American honors, while Cooke garnered first team National Soccer Coaches Association of America All-Southeast Region honors. Forward Robert Hill, midfielder Everardo Flores and defender Matthew Finlay were second team All-SAC selections.

The 2006 squad reached the SAC Tournament final and earned a trip to the NCAA Division II Appalachian Regional tournament to conclude their season at 15-2-2. Senior forward Dario Carrasco was named the SAC's Co-Player of the Year, while goalkeeper Tyler Baldock, midfielder Carlos Maqueda, and Ostvold earned first team All-SAC honors. Cooke earned All-SAC second team honors as well as the conference's Freshman of the Year award, while Flores and David Carrasco joined him on the All-SAC second team. Baldock, Dario Carrasco, Cooke and Ostvold also earned All-Appalachian Region honors from Daktronics while Baldock, Maqueda, and Ostvold earned All-Region honors from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.

Vital led the Eagles to the most successful season in school history in 2003. The Eagles went 14-6-3 and 6-1 in conference play to win their second SAC title in four years. The Eagles advanced to the NCAA Tournament where they beat two Top 10 teams in UNC-Pembroke and USC-Spartanburg and advanced to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight. C-N lost a hard-fought match to eventual national champion Lynn. The Eagles were ranked 12th in the final D-II poll in 2003.

He followed that season up with yet another successful campaign in 2004. The Eagles won the SAC title again and was ranked as high as number one during the season. Coach Vital was named SAC Coach of the Year and Tyler Baldock was selected the SAC Player of the Year.

The 2005 season was another special one as the Eagles won their third consecutive SAC title, the first time that feat had been accomplished in 14 years, and advanced to the NCAA Division to Elite Eight for the second time. Vital was named SAC Coach of the Year for the third straight time, a SAC first, and Tyler Baldock was once again tabbed as the SAC Player of the Year. Baldock was also an All-American selection for the second consecutive season.

Vital led the Eagles to the school's first-ever regular season SAC title in 2000. The Eagles finished the season 12-7 overall and 7-2 in the conference and coach Vital was named the SAC Coach of the Year.

A 1992 graduate of Tusculum College, Vital spent three years as the Coordinator of Special Student Activities and Soccer Coach at Walters State Community College in Morristown, Tennessee. He holds an Advance National Coaching license, which is the highest license offered by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. Vital also has several years of coaching experience with the East Tennessee Soccer Federation.

As a player, Vital garnered All-Conference honors as a freshman and sophomore at Lees-McRae. Following a transfer to Tusculum, where he graduated, he was chosen to the All-District team in his junior and senior seasons. Vital not only has an outstanding soccer resume, he is also a scholar. Along with a Business Administration degree, he minored in French and Art. Vital is trilingual, speaking English, French and Haitian Creole.

Vital and his wife, Christina, currently reside in Morristown, Tenn. They are the proud parents three boys Devin Alan, Jean-Pierre and Remi.