Bruce Deaton is entering his tenth season at Evangel University after he joined Evangel as director of soccer operations and head women’s coach in April 2015 to lead the launch of the two new soccer programs at Evangel. Both teams began to play in the fall of 2015. Evangel went 5-9-4 in the 2023 season, their first in the KCAC, and their highest winning percentage since the 2020 season.
In 2019, the women’s team had its best season to date in the short existence of the program. On the field the team showed improvement in all statistical categories including goals scored, goals allowed, overall and conference wins, while compiling a record of 11-6-2 (7-2-2 in conference). The women's soccer team made its first-ever appearance in the post-season and made it to the tournament semi-finals. During the final two weeks of the regular season, the team also began receiving votes in the NAIA top 25 coaches’ poll.
His team completed the academic year of 2023-24 with a team GPA of 3.55, garnering their eighth-straight team academic award from both the NAIA and the United Soccer Coaches.
Deaton is involved in the local soccer community as a referee for boys and girls HS soccer in the MSHSAA. Prior to coming to Springfield, while Deaton spent more than a decade in northeast and central Louisiana, where he served in various roles including, director of coaching and player development for the NELSA and Crossroads soccer clubs. He also spent 10 years as an Olympic Development Program (ODP) head coach for the Louisiana Soccer Association, in addition to his duties as a coaching instructor.
While in Louisiana, Deaton spent five years as head women's soccer coach at Louisiana College (NCAA D-III, now NAIA), in addition to filling the post of associate athletic director. Prior to taking over at Louisiana College, Deaton enjoyed a successful stint as a high school coach at Ouachita Christian School in Monroe, La. During his eight seasons as both boys and girls coach at OCS, Deaton was twice named the state high school girls coach of the year for Louisiana (2009 and 2010).
Deaton holds a USSF (United States Soccer Federation) National “B” License and National Youth License, as well as the United Soccer Coaches Premier Diploma and Level III Goalkeeping Diploma.
Deaton played collegiate soccer at Marshall University (NCAA D-I) in Huntington, W.Va., where he earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business administration. He and his wife, Margaret have been married for 40 years and have two grown children, Tessa and Tucker.
