SAVANNAH, Ga. – SCAD Director of Athletics Amanda Haverstick is excited to announce the hiring of Tyler Yelken as the new Head Women’s Lacrosse Coach.
 
“After a thorough search, I am thrilled to welcome Coach Yelken to SCAD,” states AD Haverstick. “He has extensive success within both collegiate and club level lacrosse, culminating in an NAIA National Championship.  What excites me most is not just the experience and passion Tyler will bring to this storied program, but also his commitment to supporting each athlete's growth as a whole person- academically, athletically, and personally.  This was apparent through the interview process. Coach Yelken has a strong track record of developing athletes and building successful, team-first cultures. I am looking forward to the energy, leadership, and expertise he will bring to our program.”
 
Yelken brings a wealth of coaching experience and a passion for teaching life skills that student-athletes can apply beyond the field to become successful members of society.
 
Prior to SCAD, Yelken was the Head Men’s Lacrosse Coach at Reinhardt University (four years), where he boasted an impressive 43-5 overall record, including a NAIA National Championship Title in 2022, and a Runner-Up finish in 2024.
 
While at Reinhardt, Yelken coached 25 Daktronics NAIA Scholar-Athletes, eight NAIA All-Americans, two NAIA Players of the Year, 14 Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) All-Conference honorees, nine AAC All-Tournament Team members, two AAC Players of the Year, and one AAC Offensive Player of the Year.
 
Yelken began his collegiate coaching career at Kennesaw State University as the Offensive Coordinator and then Head Coach for the DII Southeastern Lacrosse Conference (SELC) Club Men’s Lacrosse Team. While at Kennesaw State, Yelken established a winning culture, improving from a 13-16 record to a 50-17 record after taking over as Head Coach. Yelken was named the SELC Coach of the Year twice and coached Goalie Connor Hanson, who was drafted to the Major League Lacrosse (MLL) in 2017 by the Atlanta Blaze.
 
Yelken has gained experience on multiple committees throughout his years as a coach, serving as the AAC Lacrosse Sport Chair, the Vice President & Division II Director of the Southeastern Lacrosse Conference, as well as an Executive Committee Board Member with Men’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association.
 
Yelken graduated from Kennesaw State University with a B.S. in Integrative Studies with a concentration in American History and a minor in World History in 2019. He also holds an Associate's degree in Liberal Arts – Humanities and Social Sciences from SUNY Cayuga.
 
“I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to be the next Head Women’s Lacrosse Coach at SCAD,” states Yelken. “I am excited to be a part of such a storied and successful program, and I can’t wait to hit the ground running this fall. During my visit and interview in Savannah, it was amazing to see the beautiful campus and the investments that SCAD is making in its student-athletes on and off the field, and I am excited about the future of SCAD women’s lacrosse. I want to thank Director of Athletics Amanda Haverstick and Dr. David Pugh for this opportunity.”