Matthew Perry, who has served as the assistant women’s soccer coach at Carson-Newman University during the 2023 season, has been named as the new head coach for the women’s soccer program at Missouri S&T.
Perry worked with a Carson-Newman team that finished at 8-8-3 overall and 5-4-2 in the South Atlantic Conference during the 2023 campaign, including a trip to the semifinals of the conference tournament and earning a berth to the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional, where it lost to a Lenoir-Rhyne team that reached the national quarterfinals.
"I'm very humbled and excited to get going with this program,” Perry said. “We have a young, exciting squad and I am really looking forward to leading them in one of the top conferences in the country. I would like to thank Athletic Director Melissa Ringhausen for trusting me and giving me this opportunity. I am young and hungry and am excited to get my philosophy across to these players as quick as possible as I know we are destined to do big things. I can't wait for this new adventure."
“We are happy to welcome Matt and his family to Missouri S&T," Ringhausen said. “Matt is passionate about developing young people to their fullest potential through the game of soccer. Matt’s vision to build a program that encompasses the campus community and alumni, inspires prospective recruits and cultivates academic excellence aligns well with our values and priorities at S&T.”
Prior to coaching at Carson-Newman, Perry spent two seasons at Life University in Atlanta as a graduate assistant and served as the interim head coach during the 2021 season, where he helped that team from a two-win season to 11 victories and a berth in the Mid-South Conference Tournament. Perry was involved in all areas of the Running Eagles’ program, including video sessions, budget planning, recruiting and travel arrangements.
While in Atlanta, Perry was also served as head coach of the Women’s Premier Soccer League’s Under-21 team with the Southern Soccer Academy, which he led to a second place finish in the Southeast region. He has previous coaching experience with Coerver Performance Academy, Demize Soccer Academy in Springfield, Mo., as a goalkeeper coach and at the high school level at Fair Grove High School and Dixie High School.
Perry played collegiately at Erskine College, where he appeared in more than 60 games and was part of a team that reached the Conference Carolinas Tournament and narrowly missing out on an NCAA Division II Tournament spot in his senior year. He served as a team captain during his final two seasons at Erskine, where played as an outside back. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in physical education and coaching in 2019.
Perry is taking over the position previously held by Jane Grimley-Gunn, who stepped down earlier this spring to become the head coach at Emporia State University. Perry is originally from Shropshire, England.
