Jake Edwards was hired in August 2025 as Head Women’s Soccer Coach at West Virginia State University, leading the Yellow Jackets through a highly successful 2025 season in his first year at the helm. Under Edwards’s leadership, WVSU posted a 15–5–1 overall record and a program historical best 13–1–1 mark, including winning both conference games against University of Charleston and posting an impressive 8-1 win away to Glenville State. Their impressive Mountain East Conference play captured the MEC South Division Championship and earned the No. 1 seed in the MEC Conference Tournament. Consistently being ranked in the top 10 of the Atlantic Regional Rankings, climbing as high as 5th in the NCAA Regional rankings ensured the Yellow Jackets were selected for the NCAA Tournament.
The success of the 2025 season was reflected not only in team results but also in individual recognition, as multiple Yellow Jacket student-athletes earned All-Mountain East Conference honors, regional recognition, and conference weekly awards. Laura Pouedras & Leila Karam were both selected for the Division 2 All Atlantic Region Second Team. Laura Pouedras was also selected for the 2025 MEC All-Tournament Team. Four players received All-Mountain East Conference First Team Selection (Laura Pouedras, Leila Karam, Poppy Bastock, Aika Tobaru), 4 players received Second Team Selection (Avril Amil Ruiz, Hannah Aneley Nunez Pereira, Nagi Higashi, Sara Paris) with Maria Alejandra Hernandez Diaz receiving an Honorable Mention. Weekly awards were received by Poppy Bastock earning ‘Defensive Player of the Week alongside Sara Paris, Leila Karam & Maria Alejandra Hernandez Diaz (twice) who received ‘Offensive Player of the Week’ for the Yellow Jackets throughout the season.
Prior to West Virginia State, Edwards served as an Assistant Coach at University of Illinois Springfield for the 2024 season. During the season in the GLVC the Prairie Stars recorded a record number of conference wins and made it to the conference playoffs for a third straight season after posting a 0.607 winning year.
Before his spell in Springfield, Edwards was a Graduate Assistant at Southern Illinois University Carbondale from 2022 to 2024, working within an NCAA Division I program in the Missouri Valley Conference. Edwards was part of a remarkable program turnaround with a 13-win improvement on the previous season and making the MVC Tournament for the first time in program history. His responsibilities included training design, tactical preparation, match analysis, and player development.
Edwards brings extensive international coaching experience as well, having served as Head Coach of Warrington Wolves Women’s FC in England from 2016 to 2022. In 2018 Wolves won their first cup competition. Edwards also held other roles in elite youth and academy environments across the Canada and Spain. He holds a UEFA B License and the FA Youth Award, and began his coaching career in 2007.
He graduated from University of Chester, UK with a Bachelor’s degree in Sport Coaching and a Master’s degree in Sport, Leadership and Management. Whilst attending Southern Illinois University Carbondale Edwards graduated with a Master’s in Sport & Recreation Administration.
Edwards is from Ellesmere Port, England.
