Bio

Matt Holton was named head coach of the Acadia Axemen men’s soccer program in 2025 after serving as an assistant coach with the team since 2023 under former head coach Amit Batra.

A longtime member of the Acadia soccer community, Holton first came to the university in 2007 from Loughborough University in England on a one-year exchange and never left. He played for the Axemen from 2007 to 2010, serving as team captain for two seasons, and graduated in 2010 with a Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in English.

Holton brings a wealth of experience in player development and high-performance environments. Since 2018, he has served as Soccer Nova Scotia’s director of development, where he oversees the male Excel program and supports clubs across the province with a focus on players aged U13 and older. His work includes integrating nutrition, strength and conditioning, and mental skills training into daily performance plans.

He was the head coach of the Nova Scotia men’s soccer team at the 2021 Canada Summer Games and previously worked as Soccer Nova Scotia’s grassroots development officer from 2017 to 2018.

Holton also coached at the post-secondary level with the Mount Saint Vincent University women’s soccer team from 2013 to 2016 and was technical director for Halifax City Soccer Club from 2014 to 2017.