Emerson Lovato was named Assistant Men's Soccer Coach in July of 2020. He comes to Newberry from Midwestern State University, where he helped the Mustangs to an NCAA 2nd Round Tournament appearance and the 2019 Lonestar Conference Tournament Championship. The Mustangs finished 2nd in the Lonestar Conference and received votes in the final United Soccer Coaches Poll. Lovato helped the Mustangs to a final record of 16-5 and national ranking throughout the entire season, reaching as high as #5. Lovato worked with Mustangs Goalkeeper Taylor Lampe, who claimed the 2019 Lonestar Conference Tournament MVP, Lonestar Conference All Conference-Second Team, and was a key player for the Mustangs success. Lovato assisted in coaching Lonestar Conference All-Conference players Sebastian Venegas (1st team), Carlos Flores (2nd team), Adam Conway (2nd team), Serio Lara (2nd team), Dylan Burke (2nd team), and Julian Barajas (3rd team). Lovato's primary duties included assisting with recruiting, coordinating day to day operations, goalkeeper training, conducting training sessions, and equipment management.
Before Midwestern State, Lovato was an assistant at the University of Texas Permian Basin from 2017 to 2019. He joined the UTPB Men's Soccer program in 2017, helping the Falcons to its first-ever Heartland Conference Tournament appearance, and 1st ever winning season in Division II. Lovato helped the falcons to a final record of 9-7-2, and a Heartland Conference Tournament Quarterfinals appearance in which the falcons fell to Texas A&M International University in a penalty shoot-out. Lovato coached Brandon Lee, 2017 Heartland Conference Offensive Player of the Year, Heartland Conference All-Conference 1st Team, and Stefan Faria Heartland Conference All-Conference 2nd Team.
Before the University of Texas Permian Basin, Lovato assisted the Merritt College men's soccer program and coached the Oakland Tech boys varsity soccer program for two years.
Lovato competed collegiately at Stanislaus State (Calif) and California State University-Los Angeles, earned his bachelor's degree in communications, and currently working on his Master's in Sports Management.
