Aug. 15, 2007

ST. LOUIS - Saint Louis head men's soccer coach Dan Donigan today announced Matt Tutton as assistant coach. The California native fills the full-time coaching slot vacated when Mike Sorber was hired as an assistant coach by the U.S. National Team earlier this summer.

"Matt brings great abilities both on and off the field and is a tremendous complement to our coaching staff," Donigan said. "Not only will he help expand our recruiting base, but he also is a first-class individual who communicates well with players. Matt understands the Saint Louis soccer tradition, and he wants to add to this legacy. We had a lot of quality individuals who expressed interest in this job, and I felt Matt was the ideal person for the position. "

At SLU, Tutton will be involved in all facets of the Billiken men's soccer program including on-field training, recruiting and the day-to-day operations for the Billikens.

"I am excited for the opportunity to work at a top school and with some of the finest players in the country," Tutton said. "I know the tradition of Saint Louis soccer, and I look forward to coaching in a competitive environment where you have a chance to go deep in the NCAA Tournament. Dan is one of the finest head coaches in the country, and I am thankful for the opportunity to continue my career by serving on his coaching staff."

Tutton, a native of Newport Beach, Calif., comes to Saint Louis from Santiago Canyon College, a junior college in Orange, Calif., where he served as head coach in 2006. Last season, Tutton helped elevate five players to four-year colleges.

Prior to his stint at Santiago Canyon, Tutton served as women's soccer head coach at Orange Coast College. There, he helped the Pirates to a 24-12-7 record and a playoff appearance in each of his two seasons. In 2005, the Orange Empire named Tutton Co-Coach of the Year.

His first collegiate coaching position was at Irvine Valley (Calif.) College, where he was an assistant from 2000 to 2003. Tutton was a member of the coaching staff that produced the 2003 state championship team, which was awarded the No. 1 ranking by the NSCAA.

In addition to his collegiate coaching duties, Tutton served as head coach of the Boys' U16-U19 Pateadores Soccer Club, which is based in Mission Viejo, Calif. His 2005 U-19 squad claimed the U.S. Club Soccer national championship.

Tutton is the nephew of late NFL coaching legend Bill Walsh, who led the San Francisco 49ers to three Super Bowls in the 1980s. Tutton graduated with a bachelor's degree in psychology from California State University - Fullerton in 1999. He earned a master's in physical education from Azusa (Calif.) Pacific University in 2004.