INSTITUTE, W.Va. — West Virginia State University announced Tuesday the hiring of Jacob Edwards as the new head coach of the Yellow Jacket women's soccer program. Edwards, who becomes the third head coach in program history, will begin his duties when preseason practice opens on August 13.

Edwards joins WVSU after serving as an assistant coach at the University of Illinois Springfield, where he helped guide the Prairie Stars to a record eight conference wins and a .607 winning percentage in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. Prior to that, he played a key role in revitalizing the program at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, contributing to its first-ever Missouri Valley Conference playoff appearance and a 13-win improvement over the previous season.

"Jake's commitment to winning and playing championship-level soccer is eclipsed only by his passion for investing in our student athletes' success off the field, preparing them for life after college," said WVSU Athletic Director David Hicks. "I am incredibly excited about the future of Yellow Jacket women's soccer, and can't wait to see the defending MEC champions on the field this Fall."

West Virginia State is coming off a banner 2024 campaign that included the program's first Mountain East Conference Tournament title and a run to the NCAA Atlantic Regional Semifinals. Edwards inherits a team that returns a strong core from last season's championship roster.

"I am honored and incredibly excited to be named the new head coach of West Virginia State's women's soccer program," said Edwards. "This is a tremendous opportunity to continue the great success the program has achieved in recent years. I'm grateful to David and the rest of the university leadership for having the faith in me to do just that. I can't wait to get started, not only to work with such a quality group of players, but also work with the wider staff across West Virginia State University and embrace the local area. Go State!"

About WVSU
West Virginia State University is a founding member of the Mountain East Conference. Follow WVSU Athletics on Facebook (@wvsuathletics), Instagram (@wvsuathletics), and X (@wvsu_gojackets)