Wheaton, Ill. – Wheaton College (Ill.) Athletics Director Julie Davis has announced that Jake DeClute will serve as the head coach of the Wheaton men's soccer program, beginning in 2015. DeClute brings 15 years of collegiate and professional coaching experience to the role he will step into in 2015.

DeClute will take over for current head coach Mike Giuliano. Giuliano will remain at Wheaton until the end of 2014. Giuliano announced in May that the 2014 season would be his last at Wheaton, as he moves to Georgia to take a teaching/coaching position at Greater Atlanta Christian School. Giuliano has led the Thunder to a 21-3 record in 2014 and the Thunder will compete in the NCAA Division III Men's Soccer Semifinal for the first time since 2006.

Davis states of the addition, "I am excited to welcome Coach DeClute and his family back to the Wheaton Athletics Department. Jake has all the personal qualities and professional credentials to continue the excellence of the Wheaton Soccer tradition. He is authentic in his relationship with Christ, has a strong desire to mentor young men, and is competitive and passionate about soccer. Jake and his family will be a wonderful addition to our community." She adds, "We are working toward a seamless transition for current players and recruits, but right now we are all pretty focused on the excitement of the current season and this team's run for a National Championship."

DeClute is a 1999 graduate of Wheaton, earning his Bachelor's Degree in Christian Education and in 2005 he earned a Master's Degree in Biblical Studies from Wheaton. He was a four-year letterwinner for the Wheaton men's soccer program from 1995-97, serving as a co-captain for Wheaton's 1997 NCAA Division III National Championship Team. DeClute was a three-time All-CCIW honoree at Wheaton, earning All-Region accolades in 1998.

He also served as an assistant coach at Wheaton alongside legendary coach Joe Bean from 2001-06. During that time, Wheaton advanced to the NCAA Division III National Championship Match in 2006 and to the Division III Quarterfinal in 2002.

DeClute will join Wheaton in 2015 from the United States Naval Academy, where he currently serves as a volunteer assistant coach. He has been a part of a Midshipmen team that posted an 11-4-5 overall record and finished second in the Patriot League with a 6-1-2 record.

Prior to joining the staff at Navy, he served an assistant coach and scouting director with the Vancouver Whitecaps FC of Major League Soccer (MLS) from 2012-14. Before to his time in the MLS, DeClute was the head coach at Gordon College from 2007-11. While at Gordon, DeClute led the program to a 46-36-13 overall record and the team was 35-15-9 in the Commonwealth Coast Conference.

DeClute has also spent time in his coaching tenure with professional squads such as the Carolina RailHawks, Cleveland City Stars, Chicago Shockers and Cascade Surge.

Jake and his wife Erin ('09) have two daughters. DeClute says of the upcoming opportunity, "We are thrilled to be coming back to Wheaton and to get the opportunity to work with the men's soccer team. I am really excited about the season that they are currently having; and look forward to continuing to build on the success of Wheaton soccer."