Charles Town, WV (March 24th, 2025) — In a major move signaling its ambitions on the national stage, West Virginia Soccer has named Brett Teach as its new Club and MLS NEXT Director. With more than three decades of coaching experience across college soccer, Olympic development, and elite youth programs, Teach arrives with a resume unmatched in the region.
“Brett is a builder,” said Brandon Ricker, Technical Director. “Whether it’s developing players for the pros or transforming programs into national contenders, his track record speaks for itself. He’s the perfect leader to take West Virginia Soccer into its next chapter, especially as we grow within MLS NEXT.”
MLS SuperDraft Talent and VCU Legacy
From 2010 to 2023, Teach served as the top assistant and recruiting coordinator at VCU, helping the Rams rise to national prominence. Under head coach Dave Giffard, and with Teach’s steady presence, VCU won 116 matches, captured an Atlantic 10 Regular Season Championship, and appeared in three NCAA Tournaments.
More impressively, VCU produced seven MLS SuperDraft picks, including players like Dennis Castillo, Kharlton Belmar, and Jason Johnson, all of whom made it to Major League Soccer. In total, Teach helped mentor 63 all-conference players at VCU, including 21 First Team honorees.
A Career Built on Winning and Development
Teach was most recently named the head coach at Mount St. Mary’s, his sixth college head coaching job since launching his career in the late 1980s. Across his coaching stops in Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Virginia and now Maryland, Teach has accumulated more than 280 career wins, earned 10 Coach of the Year awards, and helped guide his teams to multiple NCAA Tournament appearances.
In 2000, he was named NAIA National Coach of the Year by the United Soccer Coaches after a dominant run with Auburn University Montgomery, where he won 139 games and led the team to four national finals and eight quarterfinals during a seven-year span.
Earlier in his career, Teach helped guide Georgia State to its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 1997. At just 27 years old when hired, he was the youngest Division I head coach in the country at the time.
His most recent success as a college coach came at Tusculum University, where his squads won back-to-back conference titles and made an Elite Eight run in the NCAA Division II Championship in 2008.
Beyond College: National Impact in Player Development
Teach’s impact extends far beyond the college ranks. From 1987 to 2010, he was a long-time staff coach for US Youth Soccer’s Region III Olympic Development Program, working with top talent across the South. He has also coached for numerous top-tier youth clubs, including Richmond United, ECNL and currently serves as an instructor for United Soccer Coaches, helping train the next generation of licensed coaches.
What This Means for West Virginia Soccer
With Teach at the helm of its MLS NEXT and Academy programs, West Virginia Soccer is poised to offer players in the state a truly elite development experience, one focused on reaching college, professional, and even national team levels. His ability to identify and nurture talent, implement high-performance standards, and create a professional training environment is expected to raise the bar across the region.
“I believe in this project,” said Teach. “There’s untapped talent here, and with the right structure, we can put West Virginia on the national map. The goal is simple: help players reach the next level, wherever that may be.”
About Brett Teach
– 30+ years of college coaching experience
– 280+ career wins as a head coach
– 10x Coach of the Year, including 2000 NAIA National Coach of the Year
– Coached 7 MLS SuperDraft picks, 3 of whom played in MLS
– Former assistant at VCU (2010–2023) – 3 NCAA appearances
– Played college soccer at King University (Tenn.); Hall of Fame inductee
– Member of the Auburn University Montgomery Athletics Hall of Fame
West Virginia Soccer didn’t just hire a coach, they hired a visionary leader with national credentials. With Brett Teach at the controls, the future of soccer in the Mountain State looks brighter than ever.
