On August 5th, 2020, Matt Yelton was announced as the newest addition to the ETSU Women's Soccer staff, joining his brother Jay to help lead the Bucs.
In 2024, the Bucs went 4-8-4. Ashton Blair became ETSU's new all-time shutout leader with 15. Blair and Madi Hook collected All-SoCon Second Team honors, while Jada Cooper collected All-Freshman team honors. ETSU's four wins in 2024 came against Eastern Kentucky, The Citadel, Wofford and VMI.
Entering the fourth season of his tenure in Johnson City, Yelton coached the Bucs to one of their best seasons in school history in 2023. ETSU went 11-3-5 before bowing out in the SoCon semifinals against Samford. The Buccaneers end their season with their most wins and best home record since 2016 and broke the school records for shutouts in a season (11), fewest goals conceded in a season (10), longest shutout streak (640 minutes), and fewest losses (3). Their 11 wins are tied for the sixth-most in a season in ETSU history and most since 2016. Blair was named the SoCon Defensive Player of the Year and Reagan Fitzgerald was touted as the conference's Freshman of the Year. Sinoxolo Cesane and Sydney Somogyi joined Blair on the First Team, while Fitzgerald was joined on the All-Freshman team by Ava Matherne and Ruby Teixeira.
In 2022, Yelton guided the Bucs to a 5-6-6 overall record that included a 3-3-3 mark in SoCon play. ETSU picked up victories over USC Upstate and Appalachian State and then reeled off three straight league wins over The Citadel, VMI and UNC Greensboro. ETSU fought hard in the first round of the SoCon Tournament but bowed out after falling to Mercer in penalty kicks, 3-2.
Year two with Yelton leading the Bucs saw a six-win improvement from year one. ETSU went 4-2-2 in its first eight matches and finished the 2021 campaign with a record of 7-6-3 overall (4-4-1 SoCon). The Blue and Gold were particularly good away from Johnson City totaling a 5-2-1 record. ETSU closed the regular season with back-to-back wins over UNC Greensboro and VMI but fell to fifth-seeded Mercer in the SoCon Quarterfinals, 2-0.
In his first full year, Yelton helped navigate through the COVID-19 pandemic that saw the shortened soccer season get pushed to the spring, where the Bucs would play in just eight games. Yelton was an integral part in the development of All-Freshman selection Sinoxolo Cesane. Yelton also played a role in scheduling training sessions as well as recruiting, bringing in 10 new Bucs in their first recruiting class.
Yelton spent the year prior to joining the Blue and Gold as the Vice President of Youth Soccer Operations and Senior Director of Coaching at the Chattanooga Red Wolves SC Academy, helping direct the “path to pro” philosophy for the Tennessee area. Under his role, Yelton oversaw all coaches and directors for the youth academy, established curriculum for the academy and a development plan for players, developed sponsorships, partnerships and other revenue-generating streams and coordinated and developed partnerships with national youth soccer leaders and organizations around the country.
After a successful stint at Lee, Yelton operated for four years as an executive director for Chattanooga FC Academy, helping foster relationships in Chattanooga through soccer while affording players a pathway to competitive soccer.
Yelton spent 13 seasons at Lee University, becoming the most winningest coach, regardless of sport, in university history. During his time with the Lady Flames, Yelton directed his program to a 245-42-2 record, achieving an 85.1% winning percentage at the helm. Lee won 11 conference championships with the leadership of Yelton, claiming four NAIA National Championships (2008-11) before transitioning to a Division II school.
Winning the 2014 National Christian College Athletic Association Championship, Yelton compiled a stellar 89-0-1 mark while in the Southern States Athletic Conference during their time as an NAIA member. In the two years at the Division II level, Matt helped lead his team to an 18-2 record in the Gulf South Conference, unable to compete in postseason play having just moved up in classification.
Under Yelton’s tutelage, five Lady Flames have had their numbers retired within the program. In his thirteen seasons, Matt coached the program goal scoring leader Janaina Novaes (2004-07),the NAIA all-time assist leader in Jamie Achten (2008-11) and second-most clean sheets in NAIA Cait Wohlander (2003-06). While at the helm, the Lady Flames set program records that remain to this day; including a 21-game winning streak, a 28-game home winning streak, an 84-game conference win streak and a 99-game conference unbeaten streak.
Yelton opened his coaching career at his alma mater King University in 1997. Under the four-year guidance, King produced a 54-40-5 record.
Before his days as a coach, Yelton spent his collegiate years playing for King University from 1992-95. Matt received his master’s degree at ETSU in 2002 in English language and literature.
