Women's Soccer

Tyler Watkins enters his sixth season as the head assistant coach with the women’s soccer program in 2023. 

In his six seasons on staff, Watkins has helped guide the Eagles to four-straight Heart Regular Season and Tournament Championships, as well as five appearances at the NAIA National Tournament. Central's best finish at the national championship came in 2021, when the Eagles reached the semifinals before falling to William Carey. 

In 2019, he helped the Eagles return to the NAIA Women’s Soccer National Championship Opening Round for the third straight season while securing the first final site appearance in program history. Central Methodist set a new single-season wins record with a 22-0-1 finish and reached a program-high ranking of No. 5 in the national polls. 

In 2019, Central swept the conference titles after claiming just the second regular-season banner in the program history. The squad also secured the program’s first-ever postseason trophy with a thrilling double-overtime victory over Benedictine in the Heart of America Women’s Soccer Conference Tournament championship match.  

Watkins came to Central Methodist after a two-year stint at Kansas State University. He was in charge of coaching the goalkeepers, video analysis, and scouting. He also served as the Assistant Director of camps and clinics. During his time in Manhattan, KSU goalkeepers ranked in the top 50 nationally in multiple statistical categories. Watkins played a crucial role in setting the foundation for a new program competing in the Big 12 Conference. 

Prior to arriving at Kansas State, Watkins served as the head women’s soccer coach at Clarke University (Iowa) from 2012-15. He coached 37 Academic All-Conference athletes and 12 MCC All-Conference players during his tenure. Before taking the reins of the women’s program, Watkins pulled double-duty as an assistant coach for both the men’s and women’s soccer programs for two seasons. 

Watkins began his coaching career as an assistant at his alma mater, NCAA D-II Upper Iowa University, in 2008. Since then, he has accumulated over 10 years of coaching experience at the club, state ODP, and regional ODP levels throughout the Midwest. He has an NSCAA national diploma, an NSCAA advanced national goalkeeping diploma, and a USSF “D” License. 

Before jumping into the coaching ranks, Watkins was a two-year starting goalkeeper at Upper Iowa. His college career ended in his junior season due to a knee injury. 

Watkins graduated from Upper Iowa in 2008 with a degree in Sport Management and minor in coaching.