Joshua Walters Named USU Assistant Soccer Coach
Utah State women’s soccer head coach Heather Cairns announced Monday that Joshua Walters has been hired as assistant coach for the Aggies. “We’re really excited to add Josh to our staff for the 2007 season,” Cairns said. “He comes to us with a diverse soccer background, as well as extensive leadership qualities that he developed in the military. Our team will really benefit from his well-rounded knowledge, in addition to really enjoying his enthusiasm for the game.” Walters replaces Gina Brewer, who resigned earlier this spring. “In my search for a college coaching job, I wanted to find a quality institution with a well-respected coach. I believe that I have found that and then some with Utah State and Coach Cairns,” Walters said. “I’m excited to work with the excellent quality of student-athletes as well as the positive aspect of soccer that Utah State presents.”
A native of Winston-Salem, N.C., Walters comes to USU from Houston, Texas where he was director of goalkeeping for Space City Futbol Club, as well as South Texas 91’s Olympic Development Program Coach. Prior to that, Walters was at the University of Houston where he was an assistant coach for two seasons, working primarily with the defenders and goalkeepers. Under his guidance the UH goalkeepers posted the lowest goals against average in school history of 1.10 gaa and set a school record with five shutouts on the year in 2005, his first season. In 2006, his second season with the Cougars, UH goalkeeper Shelby Scott posted four individual shutouts, the second-most single-season total, while tying the team record of five shutouts. Scott recently earned a spot on the Israeli National Team.
At Houston Walters also coordinated various off-field aspects, including team travel, scheduling and academics, as well as also serving as director of the UH Soccer Camps
Before his stint at Houston, Walters served 12 months as a First Lieutenant with Brigade S2 (Military Intelligence) of the Florida National Guard during Operation Enduring Freedom V in Bagram, Afghanistan. While in Afghanistan, Walters set up and directed a soccer clinic as well as a series of games for Afghan youths. He later made a presentation on his experiences to the 2005 NSCAA Convention and was awarded the NSCAA Honorary All American Award.
During his military deployment, Walters received the Bronze Star for Valor and Service, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal and the Humanitarian Service Medal.
Before his military duties, Walters was the head coach at Lawton Chiles High School in Tallahassee, Fla., from 2000-05. During Walters’ tenure there, his teams received the NSCAA/adidas Team Academic Award for three consecutive seasons. Walters was also head coach of the Tallahassee United Futbol Club in 2002.
Walters received his associate’s degree of the arts from Marion Military Institute in 1998. He captained the soccer team and also earned MVP honors. After graduating from MMI, he was commissioned as a signal officer in the Florida National Guard. Walters’ coaching career started in Tallahassee, Fla., at Godby High School, where he coached from 1998-2000. Additionally, he was the head coach for the Top of Florida Soccer Club until 2001.
A 2004 graduate of Columbia Southern University, Walters received his bachelor of arts in sports management and graduated cum laude. Walters holds an NSCAA Advance National Diploma, as well as NSCAA GoalkeeperAdvance National and USSF “C” licenses. Walters is engaged to school teacher Amy Lucas, former Ole Miss soccer player and the couple will be married July 7, 2007.
Utah State returns nine starters and 23 letterwinners from last season’s squad that posted a 10-8-2 record, tying the most-ever wins in the program’s 11-year history. The Aggies’ 5-0-2 WAC record tops the previous program-record marks of four conference wins, done four times, most recently in 2005, and the .750 conference winning percentage is a new school record, topping 2005’s .643 (4-2-1). Utah State’s 10 wins matches the 2003 squad for most-ever wins in a season, while the .550 winning percentage (10-8-2) is just behind the program record mark of .579 in 2003 (10-7-2).