Coaches

Scott Mejia

Scott Mejia begins his 22nd year at Augustana in the fall of 2022. He was the head coach of both the men’s and women’s programs starting in March of 2001, but in 2007 he was freed up to concentrate solely on the women’s team. Due to COVID restrictions, the 2020 season was limited to scrimmages, but his 2019 outfit posted a 10-4-3 record, finished tied for third in the CCIW with a mark of 5-3 and advanced to the championship match of the CCIW Tournament.


A three-time CCIW Coach of the Year (2006, 2009, 2012), Mejia has led the Vikings to seven NCAA Division III Tournament appearances since 2005. Augustana had 15 straight seasons with at least 10 victories under Mejia from 2001 through 2015 and the Vikings have not had a losing campaign on his watch.


In a fantastic 2009 season, Mejia led his team to a school-record ledger of 20-2-1. Along the way, Augustana won its first ever CCIW women’s soccer title with a perfect 7-0 mark in league play. The Vikings also claimed the CCIW tournament with a 1-0 win over Illinois Wesleyan and advanced to the “Sweet Sixteen” of the NCAA Division III national tournament before the season ended with a 2-1 loss to Calvin in the sectional. Mejia was named CCIW “Coach of the Year” and was also tabbed as the NCAA Division III Central Region “Coach of the Year” by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.


Mejia had the task of replacing a pair of head coaches who ended their Augustana careers as the winningest coaches in their respective sports. Krisan Steiger had been the only women’s coach in school history, compiling a record of 78-63-10 from 1993 through 2000. Bob Estabrook was 82-45-10 from 1994-2000 as the men’s coach.


With a record of 68-37-6 (.640) in six years with the men and a 243-100-31 (.691) ledger in 19 seasons with the women, Mejia has left his mark on both Viking soccer programs. He is the winningest women’s soccer coach at Augustana. The Viking men were 22-14-3 (.603) in the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin under his direction, including a mark of 10-1-1 in a two year span of 2002 and 2003. In 2002, Augustana won the first CCIW men’s soccer title in school history when it earned a co-championship with Wheaton. Mejia’s women have compiled an 86-39-12 (.672) record in league play and were undefeated CCIW champions in 2009 and 2012.


Mejia came to Augustana after being the head coach of both the men and women at Lakeland College in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. He was selected as the “Coach of the Year” in women’s soccer in the Lake Michigan Conference after the 2000 season when he led Lakeland to a 12-9-1 overall record and an 8-3-1 mark in the league. The year before that (1999) the Muskies set a school record for victories in a single season with 13 and they finished eighth in NCAA Division III in scoring offense. His two-year record at Lakeland was 25-17-1 with the women and his men’s teams were 11-27-2. Prior to taking the head coaching position at Lakeland, Mejia was the assistant coach at Edgewood College in Madison, Wisconsin from 1996-99. He has also coached at various clubs around the Milwaukee and Madison area.


Mejia graduated from Edgewood in 1997 with a 3.75 grade point average and a Bachelor of Science degree in English. While at Edgewood he was a three time all-conference performer and was the team MVP in 1993, the offensive MVP in 1994 and the defensive MVP in 1995. As a junior in 1994 he was an all Great Lakes Regional selection and twice was the “Player of the Week”. During his senior season he was named an NSCAA/Umbro All-Midwest selection. Twice he served as team captain.


In April of 2004 he joined a select group of coaches who have earned the National “A” Coaching License from the United States Soccer Federation Coaching School when he passed the course in Carson, California. Only 1,500 coaches nationwide have earned an “A” license, including just 33 in Illinois and 10 in Iowa. He received his National “B” License in 2000 after gaining his “C” License in 1998. Scott is the father of three boys, Dylan (February 2004), Braeden (August 2006) and Ethan (October 2009). He and wife Caitlyn reside in Davenport, Iowa.

Keri Hess