Tyler Absalom enters his sixth season as the head coach of the Wheeling University women's soccer program in 2020.
The 2018 Cardinals closed out the season at 3-13-1 with two clean sheets and six one-goal losses. A pair of Wheeling players earned All-MEC honors following the season, including midfielder Emily Hartley, who tied for second in the league with nine goals to earn second-team all-conference laurels.
Absalom's teams posted back-to-back 6-11-1 overall records and 5-10-1 conference marks in 2016 and 2017. Wheeling finished 2017 strong by going 2-0-1 in its final three matches, including 1-0 shutouts over Fairmont State and traditional MEC power West Virginia Wesleyan. Absalom saw his defense shutout five foes, twice over Fairmont State, of the six victories with four defeats by a goal.
In 2016, the Absalom-led Cardinals improved by two wins from his first year and were threatening to add various other wins. Wheeling fell short by a goal in six of the 11 defeats and it posted a shutout in two of the wins.
In his first season (2015), the Cardinals increased their win total by three victories and shutout five opponents. Wheeling came up short by a single goal in seven of the team's 12 defeats.
Absalom became only the third head coach in Wheeling program history after he took over for Carrie Hanna, who became the university's assistant athletic director for compliance.
Absalom started his coaching career in 2008 at Alvernia University in Pennsylvania after a successful playing career for the University’s men’s soccer team. Over the following two years (2009-10), he served as a graduate assistant coach under Hanna and graduated with distinction with a master’s of science in organizational leadership in 2011.
After leaving Wheeling, Absalom became the first assistant for the FC Reading Revolution men’s soccer team, which plays in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) at the United States’ highest amateur level. While working with FC Revolution, he also served as a staff coach for many high level youth teams within the club, including with several youth regional and national team players and the then-ranked No. 1 girls' U16 age group team.
Following his time with the FC Revolution, Absalom moved to New Jersey to work for Atlantic Soccer Factory. While at ASF, he worked as a consultant for several area youth teams developing the players and also teaching their coaches better ways to train, develop and prepare players.
Absalom graduated from Alvernia with a bachelor’s degree in sport management.
