Gardner-Webb University Athletics

Former Gardner-Webb standout and career saves leader Tyler Kettering begins his seventh year as the Associate Head Coach for the Gardner-Webb men’s soccer program in 2015.

Kettering, who served as an Assistant Coach in 2007, serves as the recruiting coordinator and contact for the Runnin’ Bulldogs men’s soccer program, as well as running day-to-day team operations along with developing and implementing practice sessions and overseeing the goalkeeper training throughout the season.

During his time on the sidelines for the Runnin’ Bulldogs, GWU has posted a number of key wins including its first-ever win over High Point in 2011, its first-ever win on the road at Patchin Field against VMI also in 2011 and knocked off a nationally ranked opponent in No. 20 VCU at the UAB “Soccer For A Cure” Classic in Birmingham, Alabama.

The Runnin’ Bulldogs also posted its best regular season conference finish since joining the Big South in 2008 with its second-place finish and 5-3-1 conference record in 2011, the same year that the Gardner-Webb men’s soccer team came up just one match short of winning the program’s second conference championship and first-ever Big South Championship, as the Runnin’ Bulldogs’ season came to an end with a loss to Liberty in the conference championship title game.

Under the tutelage of Kettering, the goalkeepers, along with the GWU defense, have been solid over the last few years, totaling 23 shutouts overall since 2009.

Individually, goalkeeper Scott Krotee’s 107 saves on the 2012 season was not only a season-high, but was also the most saves in a single-season by a GWU goalkeeper since Kettering himself totaled 116 saves back in 2006. Krotee’s 1.10 goals against average in 2011 ranks second overall in GWU men’s soccer single-season history, while his six shutouts that season placed him in a tie for third with Kettering (2006) and Greg Clark (1990) in GWU history for the most shutouts in a single-season.

In 2010, Kettering helped tutor first-year GWU player and junior transfer Adam Garcia to eight wins overall in the net for the Runnin’ Bulldogs, while his seven shutouts was the second for shutouts in a single season. Garcia posted a 1.54 goals against average in 2010, which also ranks fourth for keepers’ in GWU’s single-season history. 

Kettering, who manned the goal for the Runnin’ Bulldogs from 2003-06, was a two-time Atlantic Sun All-Conference selection and earned a spot on the 2003 Atlantic Sun Conference All-Freshmen Team.   He was also a three-time Atlantic Sun Conference Defensive Player of the Week recipient and led the Runnin’ Bulldogs in saves all four seasons he played at GWU.

The Xenia, Ohio native, who holds both the Atlantic Sun Conference and the GWU records in career saves with 446, led the nation in saves in both 2004 and 2006.  Kettering finished his career ranked second in the GWU career record books with 15 career shutouts, second in single-season shutouts with six in 2006, third in single-season goals against average with an average of 1.25 in 2005 and fourth in single season saves with 134.

After his playing days at Gardner-Webb, Kettering went on to play professionally with both the Wilmington Hammerheads (2006-07) and the Chicago Fire of the MLS (2008-09).

Kettering married the former Ali Labig on December 29, 2007.  The couple resides in Boiling Springs with their children Logan (6), Karis (4), and Charlie (18 months).