University of West Alabama Men's Soccer

Ross Nelson continues to serve as head coach for men’s soccer at the University of West Alabama, a position he has held since January 28, 2019. He served the last three seasons as assistant coach to Matthew Thorne, who left West Alabama to become head coach at Auburn-Montgomery. In 2025, the coaching staff was further strengthened with the promotion of Harrison Roberts to Associate Head Coach, continuing the program’s commitment to excellence. The 2022 season featured one of the best defensive teams in program history, allowing just 11 goals in 16 matches while holding opponents to an average of 9.6 shots per contest. Nelson helped guide UWA to Gulf South Conference championships in 2016 and 2017, including both regular season and tournament titles in 2017. Over his three seasons as assistant coach, UWA compiled a 34-17-5 record with postseason appearances each year. Wallace emphasized Nelson’s essential role in the men’s soccer program’s preparation, strength and conditioning, scouting, and recruiting since joining West Alabama, expressing confidence in his readiness for leadership and continued success. Prior to joining West Alabama, Nelson served on the coaching staff at Tennessee Wesleyan, where he was an all-conference player and team captain, leading the Bulldogs to the Appalachian Athletic Conference regular season title in 2013. Nelson was also an all-conference performer and captain at Georgia Perimeter College and played semi-pro for Ballymena United Football Club in Northern Ireland. A native of Larne, Northern Ireland, Nelson holds an AS degree in Exercise Science from Georgia Perimeter, a BS in Exercise Science from Tennessee Wesleyan, and an MS in Physical Education from West Alabama. Nelson and his wife Louise reside in Livingston, Alabama, with their son Callum.  

Harrison Roberts enters his fifth season with the West Alabama men's soccer program as an assistant men's coach. During his time as a coach with UWA, Roberts has been a part of three postseason appearances and has coached six All-Conference selections.  Along with his time with UWA, he also serves as an assistant coach with the South Carolina United Bantams in the USL League Two since 2017. During the summer of 2023, the program reached the national tournament after a 10-1-1 overall record. A member of the 2021 South Division Championship, he has coached 10 current professional players.  Roberts' playing career saw him play for the S.C. United Bantams, where he was a top-40 player in USL League Two in 2019 en route to a selection to the All-Southern Conference Team.  A former student-athlete at West Alabama, he played in 75 career matches for the Tigers, tallying 40 points on 12 goals and 16 assists. He was a part of three All-GSC teams and was named to the GSC All-Tournament team twice. Additionally, he was named the Most Valuable Player in the 2015 tournament his freshman year.  He was honored by the GSC in 2020 to the All-Decade Second Team for the best soccer players in the league during the 2010s.  A member of three conference championships and two regular season titles, he was a part of the first two NCAA Championship appearances in program history and the first tournament win in 2017, defeating Tampa 5-1.  He came to UWA after playing at the professional academies at Liverpool, Blackburn Rovers and Morcambe, where he was a part of the reserve team for the U-23 program.  He holds a UEFA C and USSF C Licenses and earned an advanced goalkeeping diploma from the United Soccer Coaches. In addition, he achieved a Level 3 B-Tech Diploma in Sport & Coaching from Lancaster and Morcambe College in the United Kingdom.  Roberts earned a Bachelor of Arts in sports management from West Alabama in 2019 and a master's degree in the same field in 2021.  Updated 8/28/23  

Harrison Roberts  Assistant Mens Soccer Coach  Univeristy of West Alabama  NCAA D2 - Gulf South Conference 

Eddie Breight is beginning his second year as athletic trainer and assistant professor at the University of West Alabama. His primary responsibility is providing athletic training services for the men’s soccer team at UWA, as well as teaching courses in both the master & bachelor of athletic training programs. He has been an athletic trainer for thirteen years and started his medical career over 20 years ago as an emergency medical technician and paramedic.  He has experience working as an athletic trainer in California, Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama. Eddie received his Bachelor of Arts in Athletic Training from Azusa Pacific University in May of 2012.  He went on to complete his Master of Science in Sport and Exercise Pedagogy, with an emphasis in Sport & Exercise Science, from Cumberland University in December of 2014. While completing his master’s degree, he was a graduate assistant athletic trainer for men’s soccer and baseball, where he was part of the Cumberland Baseball team that won the 2014 NAIA National Championship.  Eddie spent several years working for Mississippi Sports Medicine and Orthopedic Clinic and Elite Physical Therapy as a secondary school outreach athletic trainer, during which time he started the Sports Medicine pathway in the Health Science Academy at Northwest Rankin High School.  He then became the head athletic trainer at the prestigious Catholic High School in Baton Rouge, LA in the summer of 2017; where he was part of numerous state championship athletic programs.  During his tenure the school won state championships in football, cross country, swimming, soccer, track & field and lacrosse; accompanied by deep playoff runs in every sport they sponsored.  During his time at Catholic High School, Eddie also completed his Doctorate in Athletic Training through Temple University. He came to UWA most recently from the Houston area where he had been teaching EMT and Health Science courses in the secondary school setting for three years.  During that time he started the EMT pathway in the Health Science program at Willis High School.  His areas of research during his time in academia have mainly focused on science-based sport hydration, concussion policies, and conservative approaches for correcting overhead athlete’s shoulder.