Coaches

Bryan Walker

Bryan Walker begins his sixth season as the head coach of the women’s soccer program in 2023-2024.


Walker came back to Tennessee Wesleyan University after a season as an assistant coach for the men's and women's soccer teams at Carson- Newman University, helping the women's program to a 21-1-1 record and an appearance in the NCAA Division II Women's Soccer National Championship game. In his previous stint with the Bulldogs in the 2016-2017 season, the Knoxville native served as an assistant coach on the men's soccer staff where the program compiled an 11-4-4 record. He also served as the interim women's lacrosse head coach, leading the program to a 13-5 record and an Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) Women's Lacrosse Championship.


After playing four years as a goalkeeper at Bearden High School, where he earned All-State and All-Region honors and was a key piece to the team's 2006 state championship, Walker went on to star in the net for Maryville College. In his playing time as the goalie for Maryville, he helped lead the team to a conference championship each of his four years there and was named to the All-Conference Team in the Golden State Athletic Conference three times from 2007-2009.


His first step in the coaching realm came at Maryville, returning to the school after graduating in 2011 to serve as an assistant coach for both the men's and women's programs for five years. During the 2014 season at Maryville, the women's program won the USA South Athletic Conference tournament championship. Along with his coaching experience at Maryville, Walker has led teams on the high school level in Knoxville while also serving as an assistant coach in the National Premier Soccer League for Knoxville Men's Force and the Women's Premier Soccer League for the Knoxville Lady Force. While with both Knoxville Force teams, the Lady Force won back-to-back region titles in 2015 and 2016 while the Men's Force won the Eastern Region regular-season championship in 2017, posting the most successful season the club has had.


In his first season as the head coach of the women's soccer team, Walker guided the team to a 12-6-1 overall record and a 9-2-1 AAC record for a second-place finish in the regular season. Walker helped the team bring back their third consecutive AAC Tournament Title, qualifying for their third straight NAIA National Tournament.


In his second season, Walker guided the team to a 17-4 overall record and 12-1 AAC record, giving them a piece of the regular-season championship. During the season, the team went on a 13-game winning streak. The team entered the AAC Tournament as the second seed and advanced to the championship game, securing their fourth-consecutive trip to the NAIA National Tournament. The 17 wins on the season represent the most wins in program history.


His third season as the head man of the women's program in a modified season due to the COVID-19 pandemic saw the team go 9-6 overall and 9-4 in the AAC. This represents Walker's third consecutive winning season as head coach of the program. Playing an only conference schedule in the fall, the Lady Bulldogs won nine conference games to qualify for the AAC Tournament as the third seed. Conference guidelines for the 2020 season limited the tournament field to the top four teams in the tournament


In his fourth season as head coach, Walker led the team to a 13-5-1 overall record and a 10-3-1 record in the AAC. The team qualified for the AAC Tournament as the fourth seed, their fourth consecutive time qualifying for the conference tournament under Walker.


Like his fourth season, the fifth season as head coach saw Walker lead the team to 13 wins once again while compiling 11 AAC wins. The team qualified for the AAC Tournament as the No. 3 seed and advanced to the semifinals of the tournament.


Walker currently resides in Knoxville, TN with his wife Mandy, and their daughter Ari.