Eastern Oregon University Athletics

Head Coach | 7th Season | 78-22-14 (.684)

Jacob Plocher enters his seventh season of leading Eastern Oregon women's soccer program in 2023. He is the all-time winningest coach in program history with a record of 78-22-14 at EOU. Plocher was named the head women's soccer coach on March 24, 2017. He joined EOU with nearly eight years of coaching experience at the collegiate level and became the seventh women's soccer coach in program history.

2022: Eastern posted its eight consecutive winning season and sixth under Coach Plocher with a 12-4-3 overall record. The team went 8-2-2 in CCC play, finishing 4th and earning a bid to the CCC tournament before falling in the semifinals. EOU was 7-1 at home, 3-2-2 away, and 2-1 in neutral matches. EOU posted a NAIA leading 14 shutouts in 2022 and was ranked as high as No. 22 in the NAIA National Rankings. In the 2022 season, Plocher earned his 100th win as a head coach. 

2021: Eastern posted its seventh consecutive winning season and fifth under Coach Plocher with an 11-6-0 overall record. The team went 8-4-0 in CCC play, finishing fifth and earned a berth to the CCC Tournament before bowing out in the quarterfinal round. The Mountaineers went 4-2 at home, were 7-2 on the road and posted nine shutouts for the year. They picked up a ranked win over No. 17 Westmont, 1-0, at home and had season-high 10 goals scored in a 10-0 road win over Multnomah.

Four players were tabbed All-CCC in Morgan Farrington (1st Team), Sarah Mitchell (1st Team), Erika Skindlov (2nd Team), and Yahaira Chavarria-Mondragon (Honorable Mention). Mitchell went on to be named an NAIA Honorable Mention All-American for the second consecutive year. The Mountaineers also had a player compete on the international stage as Goalkeeper Kiara Fontanilla was named to Phillipines National Team that went on to make the World Cup. History was made in 2021 as well as Farrington also became the all-time program leader in career goals scored with 30. She broke the previous record of 29 set by Kristen Rice from 2003-06. 

The Mountaineers ended the 2020 season ranked No. 10 after posting an 8-2-3 overall record and a 5-1-2 record in CCC East Division play finishing second. EOU made the NAIA National Tournament for the fifth time overall and fourth consecutive year. The Mounties won their opening round match before advancing to the final site on PK's. The Mountaineers season came to a close in the first round at the final site.

The team had two All-Americans in Sarah Mitchell and Cassidy Quick with both earning Honorable Mention honors. The Mounties picked up five All-CCC honors as Mitchell and Quick were named to the First Team , while Hannah Jenkins, Erika Skindlov, and Morgan Farrington earned Second Team honors.

Despite not winning the Cascade Conference regular season title for the first time in three years as head coach, Plocher led the Mountaineers to their most successful season in program history in 2019. The Mounties won their second CCC Championships title to advance to nationals where they won three games to reach the tournament’s quarterfinals. EOU has gone one round further in the national tournament each year under Plocher. 
 
2019: The Mountaineers went 16-3-4 overall, tying for the second most wins in program history. They finished 10th in the NAIA Postseason Poll and ranked as high as No. 6 overall, the highest in program history. The team had two All-Americans in Josee Bassett and Nan Kiebert and seven All-CCC members including three first teamers with Bassett, Kiebert and Morgan Farrington. Bassett was also selected a First Team Academic All-American by CoSIDA.
 
2018: The Mountaineers continued where they left off in 2017, winning a second-straight CCC Regular Season Championships in 2018. The team finished with a 16-3-2 record and 9-1-2 in conference on their way to their third national tournament appearance in four years and second-straight under Plocher. At the NAIA Championships, the Mountaineers won their first-ever tournament game, defeating No. 13 Grace 2-1 on the road on Nov. 17, 2018, advancing to the final site in Orange Beach, Ala. At the end of the year, the Mountaineers finished ranked No. 14, the highest ranking in program history.
 
After the season, the Mountaineers added two All-Americans, as Taylor Boyer earned honorable mention for a second straight year, while goalkeeper Cydni Cottrell was also named honorable mention. Plocher and EOU nearly swept the CCC postseason awards, with CCC Player of the Year Taylor Boyer, Defender of the Year Josee Bassett and Newcomer of the Year Mackinley Gregus. The Mountaineers had seven total all-conference honorees. Bassett was also named CoSIDA Academic All-District. 
 
Plocher had one of the best seasons for a first year head coach in 2017, leading the Mountaineers to their first-ever CCC Regular Season and Tournament Championships with a 13-4-2 record and 9-1-1 in conference play. He was rewarded by his peers, receiving the 2017 CCC Coach of the Year award. The Mountaineers made their second trip to the NAIA Championships, falling to No. 7 Westmont 1-0 in the opening round on Nov. 18.
 
2017: In a historic season, Plocher led the program to one of its best defensive seasons in history. The Mounties led the CCC with a goals against average of 0.42, limiting opponents to just eight goals on the year with an average of 9.7 shots per game. Taylor Boyer was the an NAIA Honorable Mention All-American and the CCC Newcomer of the Year. EOU had four First Team All-CCC selections in Boyer, Natalie Mitchell, Josee Bassett and Cydni Cottrell, while Rosalie Salisbury, Chelsey Nicol and Natalie Goeth were each named honorable mention.
 
Plocher spent the previous four years at Presentation College, an NAIA institution in Aberdeen, S.D. During his four years with the Saints, Plocher complied 27 wins. During the 2016 campaign, he guided the Saints to an 11-6-2 record, the best in program history. Under his leadership, Presentation College broke nearly every offensive school record this past season, including goals (42), assists (29), points (119), shots (354), shots on goal (191), and game-winners (10).
 
Prior to Presentation College, Plocher coached at Kansas Wesleyan University, William Penn University, and West Plains High School. He served as an assistant coach to both the men's and women's soccer programs at Kansas Wesleyan. In that capacity, he assisted with the recruitment of potential student-athletes, organized technical and tactical training sessions, and coaching the Coyotes' junior varsity squad.
 
At William Penn, Plocher served as a graduate assistant for the men's soccer team. In addition to game planning and recruiting assignments, he was also responsible for overseeing the team's academic study tables. Plocher began his coaching career in West Plains, Mo., where he was the assistant coach for the West Plains High School boys varsity soccer team. He directed the squad to a third-place finish at the state tournament for the first time in school history. He also served as the head coach for the school's junior varsity team.
 
During his playing days, Plocher was a team captain at William Penn after transferring from Missouri Southern. He ultimately earned his Bachelor of Arts in Wellness, Recreation, and Physical Education, and he later added a Master of Business Leadership degree to his resume.