Soccer
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
- Email:
- sfshelton@bsu.edu
- Alma Mater:
- Western Michigan, 2008
- Phone:
- 765-285-8151
- Years at Ball State:
- 3rd season in 2018
Steve Shelton joined the Ball State soccer staff as an assistant coach in July 2016. He spent the previous five seasons as the head coach at Concordia University, an NAIA program in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Shelton helped Ball State to the 2016 MAC regular season championship, a pair of MAC West Division titles and an appearance in the 2018 MAC Championship game over his first three seasons in Muncie. The Cardinals are 25-4-4 in conference play during that period.
Ball State won the league title in Shelton's first year on staff, finishing 14-3-3 overall and 9-1-1 in conference play. The Cardinals reached an all-time high of No. 40 in the NCAA RPI and compiled a school-record 10-game unbeaten streak. The team's win at ACC opponent Louisville was the first victory for BSU over a Power 5 opponent in a decade.
In his second year, he helped coach the Cardinals to the MAC West title with an overall record of 11-7-3 and a mark of 8-1-2 in conference play.
Shelton has coached Ball State through some impressive streaks during his tenure at the school, including a 25-game home unbeaten streak, which was the longest in the country at the time. He also helped the Cardinals win nine-consecutive matches in 2018 which set a school record for the longest winning streak in program history. The record-setting winning streak culminated in an appearance in the MAC Championship game.
There have been many players that won several accolades during Shelton's time at the school, including Lorina White who was named MAC Defensive Player of the Year. Goalkeeper Alyssa Heintschel was named a COSIDA All-American and won the Senior Class Award while setting the school record for wins as a goalkeeper with 35. Leah Mattingly was also a three-time All-Conference honoree for Ball State. Most recently, Shelton played a key role in the recruitment of 2018 MAC Freshman of the Year, Tatiana Mason. Mason led the team and all MAC freshmen in points while leading the entire conference in game-winning goals.Â
Prior to his arrival in Muncie, Shelton led Concordia’s rise up the NAIA rankings from No. 178 in 2011 to No. 27 in 2015. His teams posted records of .500 or better in each of his final three campaigns, including 10-win seasons in both 2014 and 2015.
Shelton coached Concordia’s first All-American in Julia Palushaj, who twice led the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference in scoring. His squads also had success academically, managing a team GPA better than 3.5 every year.
Shelton coached with the Northville branch of the Michigan Rush Soccer Club for three years and coached the Rush Select Team featuring the top players from each branch of the club. He also spent two years as an evaluator for the Michigan ODP.
Shelton began his coaching career at Grosse Ile High School in Michigan, where he was a standout prep player. The 2010 Huron League coach of the year led Grosse Ile to two district championships and a conference title.
As a player, Shelton was an all-state selection and set the Grosse Ile records for assists in a season (27), assists in a career (52) and goals in a game (5). He helped his team to a state championship in 2002 and a ranking of No. 13 nationally in 2003.Shelton played collegiately at Kalamazoo College and graduated from Western Michigan University in 2008 with a bachelor’s degree in public policy. He holds a USSF National B coaching license.
