Bret Boulware, who served as an assistant coach with the Furman men’s soccer program from 1995-99, rejoined head coach Doug Allison’s coaching staff in May of 2016.

During the 2020-21 season, Boulware helped lead Furman to its league-best 21st SoCon regular season championship after going 7-2-1 and an unbeaten 5-0-1 in the conference. The Paladins swept the league postseason awards as Ben Hale was named the SoCon Player of the Year, and Goalkeeper of the Year, and Jake Raine the Co-Freshman of the Year. Furman had nine players recognized on SoCon all-conference teams or All-Freshman squad, highlighted by six on the first team.

In 2019, Boulware helped the Paladins fashion an 11-7-1 overall record and claim the program's league record 20th Southern Conference regular season title with a 5-1-0 mark. Furman placed seven players on All-Southern Conference teams, including in the inclusion of Rocky Guerra, Cole McLagan and Jack Shiels on the first team.

In his second season since returning to the Paladin program, Furman posted a 13-7-2 record, claimed its 14th Southern Conference Tournament crown and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament after edging UNCW in an opening-round penalty shootout. Laurence Wyke, the SoCon Tournament's Most Outstanding Player, joined league goalkeeper of the year Ben Hale in earning first team All-SoCon honors.

In 2017, Boulware helped the Paladins to a 12-5-3 overall record and a 5-2-3 Southern Conference mark. The Paladins made a return to the national rankings on the strength of a six-match winning streak that included a triumph over then No. 4-ranked Denver. Junior Laurence Wyke garnered SoCon Player of the Year honors and United Soccer Coaches All-South Region accolades.

Boulware, a 1992 graduate of Presbyterian College, came to Furman when Allison was named as head coach in 1995 and helped lead Furman to five of its most successful seasons in the school’s history. Under the tutelage of Allison and Boulware, the Paladins won four Southern Conference regular season titles, three SoCon tournament titles, and were consistently ranked in the nation’s top 25. During Boulware’s five seasons as a Paladin assistant, Furman tallied the fifth-best record (78-21-7) in NCAA Division I soccer.

In 2000, Boulware returned to PC as head coach where he guided the Blue Hose for 16 years, including six seasons with over eight wins and a South Atlantic Conference regular season title in 2001. He helped PC transition into Division I from 2007-12. During Boulware’s tenure in Clinton, S.C., several Blue Hose earned NSCAA All-Region and All-SAC team honors, as well as CoSIDA All-American accolades.

Boulware began his coaching career at Presbyterian in 1992 where served as assistant coach of the Blue Hose men’s soccer program for three seasons. During that time, PC won two South Atlantic Conference regular season titles and posted a 38-16-6 overall mark.

A standout player for the Blue Hose from 1988-91, Boulware was a two-time All-America. A goalkeeper while playing at PC, he still owns the program’s single-season and career records for fewest goals allowed by a goalkeeper and was a member of the 1988 squad which set the program’s record for consecutive wins without a loss (11). Boulware served as team captain in 1991, earned team MVP honors that same year, and was selected to participate in the Umbro Senior Bowl All-Star Game.

Boulware and his wife, Gina, have a daughter, Royton, who is a member of the Furman women's soccer program.