Jay Yelton enters his fourth full season as an assistant soccer coach at Samford University. He has helped guide the Bulldogs to four straight Ohio Valley Conference regular-season championships. Before becoming a full-time assistant, Yelton worked as a volunteer assistant coach at Samford for two seasons.

Yelton's primary responsibility with the Bulldogs is goalkeeper training. He also plays a primary role in Samford's summer youth and team camps, and assists with on-field coaching.

Under his tutelage, the Bulldogs' goalkeeping corps has continually improved and has evolved into one of the top goalkeeping units in the country. In 2003, Samford's goalkeeping squad was ranked ninth in the country in shutout percentage (.619), tied for fourth nationally with 13 team shutouts and posted a 0.66 goals-against average.

During the 2005 campaign, the Bulldogs compiled 12 shutouts and tied a school record by allowing only 13 goals. Samford led the OVC in both goals-against average (0.54) and shutouts, and surrendered only five goals in 11 matches versus conference opponents.

In 2004, Yelton's goalkeepers recorded 10 shutouts and allowed a conference-low 14 goals. Samford rattled off five consecutive shutout victories and finished with a 7-1 league record for a second straight year. The Bulldogs also led the OVC in goals-against average (0.77), and allowed only two goals during their eight-match conference schedule.

Last year, Samford once again boasted the top goalkeeping core in the OVC as the Bulldogs only allowed 14 goals in 18 matches. Yelton's group finished with nine shutouts and Samford once again led the conference in goals-against average (0.73).

Since taking over his current duties at Samford, Yelton has groomed a trio of highly talented starting goalkeepers in Crystal Royall, Emily Morris and Cayley Winters.

Royall set school records for season and career goals-against average, season and career shutouts, and consecutive shutout minutes. She is the first player in OVC history to be named both Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year. In 2003, Royall also garnered national attention by being awarded with third-team All-Southeast honors by Soccer Buzz magazine.

Yelton, who hails from Piney Flats, Tenn., began his coaching career as the goalkeeping trainer for the junior varsity and varsity teams at Parkview High School in Atlanta, Ga. The varsity team, coached by his brother and current Samford Head Coach Todd Yelton, won the 4A state championship in 1999.

After one year at the high school level, Yelton accepted an assistant coaching position at Georgia State University, where he stayed from 2000 to 2001. He then became head soccer coach at Lees-McRae College, a Division II school in Banner Elk, N.C., where he led the team to a 19-3 mark in 2001.

At King College in Bristol, Tenn., Yelton turned in an impressive four-year playing career, and was named team captain in both his junior and senior seasons. He was an All-Conference selection both years and was named the team's Most Valuable Player as a senior. In 1998, he completed a bachelor's degree in history and graduated with honors.

Yelton married the former Graham Holt July 27, 2005.