Utterson comes to Appalachian from Wingate University, where he was an assistant coach from 2014-16. During his tenure, Utterson was responsible for the domestic and international recruitment, scouting and analysis of opponents and team training sessions. With the Bulldogs, the team won the Division II National Championship (2016), a South-East Regional Championship (2016), one SAC Tournament Conference Championship (2015) and three-straight SAC Regular-Season Conference Championships (2014-16). During the title run in 2016, Utterson helped the team lead the nation in winning percentage and goals-against-average while being a part of a coaching staff that won NSCAA Southeast Regional and National Staff of the Year awards.soccer.
The 2016 team was the first NCAA program to go unbeaten and untied in a regular season (14-0) and the first NCAA Division II Champion to not concede a goal in the tournament. The Bulldogs were also being unbeaten at home for three years (23-0-2), ending with the team’s first NCAA No. 1 national ranking in school history in 2016.
Utterson worked with seven all-Americans, 17 all-Region selections, 22 all-SAC selections, three SAC Players of the Year, two NCAA Final Four MVP’s and one National Player of the Year.
Prior to coaching, Utterson was a four-year starter for UNC Wilmington from 2008-11 before playing semi-professionally in the English Conference North with the Blyth Spartans and professionally for the Wilmington Hammerheads of the USL Pro division in 2013-14. As a Seahawk, Utterson recorded 76 starts, scored three goals and helped keep the defense finish in the top 10 nationally in goals-against-average in 2009-10.
Utterson made 50 appearances with the Spartans, scoring two goals as a defender. During his time with the Hammerheads, he made 20 starts in his rookie season
A Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England native, Utterson graduated from UNC Wilmington in 2011 with a B.S. in Business Administration with a concentration in economics and earned an M.A. in sports management from Wingate University in 2016. He also holds English Football Association Level 1 & 2 Coaching Awards and Youth Module 1 qualifications, as well as NSCAA Premier, Advanced National, Director of Coaching and Diversity & inclusion Diplomas.