Samuel Thomas enters his first year as the Interim Head Coach for the Eastern Oregon University Women’s Soccer Program.
Prior to his coaching days, Thomas was a goalkeeper at Principia College. He was a four year starter for the soccer program and Thomas helped the team to the highest-ever national ranking when the Panthers were ranked eighth in 2009.
Thomas was named All-Conference all four years earning First Team honors his sophomore, junior and senior seasons. During his junior year, Thomas was voted Conference Player of the Year. He holds the school record for most career wins, most career ties, and most saves in one game. Thomas is third on the school’s record list for most shutouts with 19, third in career saves (337), and fourth in goals against average (1.20)
After graduating college, Thomas accepted an assistant coaching position at Oregon Tech for the Fall of 2012. Thomas assisted both men's and women's programs, specializin in goalkeeper development. Oregon Tech’s women’s goalkeeper earned First Team All-CCC honors.
After spending the Fall of 2012 at Oregon Tech, Thomas has earned five coaching licenses from NSCAA. He holds an Advanced Naational License from the NSCAA as well as a Goalkeeping Level 3 License. He has also worked top camps around the country; including Hope Solo’s Goalkeeper Camp, the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill Soccer Camp and assisted with the development of goalkeepers at the St. Louis Goalkeeper Academy.
The past two summers, Thomas has coached goalkeepers in the Women’s Premier Soccer League (WPSL), which is the largest women’s soccer league in the world with 65 teams. He helped the team win the Midwest Region and three players, including the goalkeeper, were named to the All-Region Team. One player earned All-WPSL Team honors.
In 2013, he was the Boys Varsity assistant coach for Principia High School. He helped coach the team to a 13-2-1 record and five players off the team were named to the Missouri All-State Team, including the goalkeeper who held a 0.75 goals against average.
During the fall of 2013, Thomas trained both the men’s and women’s goalkeepers at McKendree University, Harris-Stowe State University and KIXX Soccer Club.
Most recently, Thomas was the Girls Varsity Assistant Coach at Principia High School.
Thomas, a native of Chesterfield, Mo. graduated with a Bachelor of Art from Principia College in 2012 in Graph
ic Design.
