University of Illinois-Springfield

UIS Athletics
The Rec & Athletics Center 2171 University Dr Springfield, IL 62703

Division 2 Illinois Midwest

Public Small Competitive team

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Coaches

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Scott Myers

Scott Myers is in his first season as the UIS head women's soccer coach in 2024-25. Myers has over twenty years of coaching experience across the NCAA’s divisions as well as club coaching in California, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, and Minnesota. Myers was previously the Technical Director at Fusion Soccer Club and Girls Academy Director at Tonka Fusion Elite in Plymouth, Minn., where he coached youth soccer as well as the club’s semi-pro women’s team.

Myers’ most recent stretch in collegiate coaching was at nearby Illinois State University where he was the Associate Head Coach from 2017-19.

Prior to ISU, Myers coached women’s soccer at his alma mater Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa from 2013-16. The Kohawks were regionally ranked No. 1 and nationally ranked No. 15 in 2015 by the NSCAA. He produced the program’s first all-region player in 2014 along with multiple all-conference players, and recruited over 50 student-athletes with a 95-percent retention rate.

Myers was the head coach at Menlo College from 2010-13, where he led the Oaks to their program-first postseason appearance. He coached eleven FIrst Team All-Cal Pac Conference student-athletes, three Cal Pac Defenders of the Year, two Newcomers of the Year, and a Player of the Year.

Along with various club teams, Myers was an assistant coach at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University from 2008-10 and at the University of Redlands from 2006-08. While at Embry Riddle, the team qualified for the NAIA National Tournament in 2008 and 2009. He also developed and coordinated strength and conditioning and nontraditional-season training programs.

To go with his Bachelor of Arts in Biology and Secondary Teaching from Coe in 2001, Myers earned his Masters in Higher Education from Redlands in 2008, where he was an assistant coach. At Redlands, Myers served as the recruiting coordinator and also developed and implemented nontraditional-season training plans.

Myers holds a USSF National C License, NSCAA Goalkeeping Diplomas at levels I, II and III, NSCAA National Distinguish Pass license, NSCA Advanced National Distinguish Pass license and a NSCAA Premier Diploma.

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Jake Edwards

Edwards is in his first season as an assistant coach on the women's soccer coaching staff in 2024-25. He was previously an assistant women's soccer coach at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

Edwards was the head coach of the Warrington Wolves Women's FC team in the United Kingdom from 2016 until 2022. He's worked within youth soccer at Challenge Sports (USA), Peninsula United FC (in Foster, California), and was a coach at Oldham Athletic Academy in the United Kingdom in 2020.

Edwards also has experience working at Toronto FC II & Academy, and Elche CF Academy in Spain.

Edwards started coaching in 2007, and acquired his UEFA B License in 2018. He also received the FA Youth Award in 2018.

In 2013, Edwards got his BA Hons in Sport Coaching at the University of Chester. Two years later, he got his Masters in Sport, Leadership and Management in 2015. During his time at Chester, Edwards played collegiate soccer at the university from 2011-14.

Edwards is from Ellesmere Port, England.

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Jason Vlcek

In his ninth season as the goalkeeper coach for UIS in 2022

Helped the program improve its wins in each of his first three seasons, including having the best season in program history in 2017

Helped the UIS goalies have the top-five single-season GAA marks in program history

Jason Vlcek is in his ninth season as an assistant coach for the University of Illinois Springfield women’s soccer program in 2023-24. He primarily serves as the goalkeeper coach.

Vlcek’s coaching has helped UIS have its best goalkeeping in program history during his time. The Prairie Stars have recorded 29 shutouts under Vlcek. Over the last five years, he has coached five different starting goalies, and all five are ranked in the top-seven all-time in program history for GAA in a season. He has coached one all-conference player (Paige Polonus in 2015), and his goalies have been named GLVC Defensive Player of the Week four times.

In 2017, UIS set program records with a 0.96 GAA and a .812 save percentage. UIS had its best season that year, going 9-6-4 overall and 6-5-3 in GLVC play. The Prairie Stars clinched a spot in the GLVC Tournament for the first time, and its nine overall victories and six conference victories were also new standards for the team.

In 2018, Paloma Guijarro had a program-record GAA of 1.04, and the team’s GAA of 1.18 was second in program history. During the 2019 campaign, Bailey Cross compiled a GAA of 1.22, and UIS set a program record with seven GLVC victories.

During the shortened spring 2021 season, Vlcek helped goalie Amanda Finnell have a 1.05 GAA for the year. UIS allowed more than one goal in a game just twice in 12 contests. In 2021, UIS had its second-best winning percentage in program history, behind goalie Allison Mirimanian and her 1.08 GAA.

Vlcek has been part of the Springfield soccer community for more than 20 years. A former goalie for the Prairie Stars in 1997, he has worked directly with goalies at the club, high school, and college level ever since. He currently holds his United States Soccer Federation (USSF) National D License and National Soccer Coaches Association of American (NSCAA) Goalkeeper Level 1 and 2 Diplomas.

The southern California native transferred from Azusa Pacific University after leading the Cougars to a No. 2 national ranking and the program's first national tournament his junior season. Vlcek played his senior campaign at the University of Illinois Springfield in 1997 where he collected 14 shutouts. The team won 21 games and was ranked No. 1 in the nation prior to falling to the eventual champion Seattle University in the National Tournament. He finished his National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) career with 62 wins, 35 of those coming by way of shutout.

Vlcek has made coaching stops at several schools in Springfield including Springfield College, Lincoln Land Community College, Benedictine University (Springfield) and Sacred Heart-Griffin High School.

He lives in Springfield with his wife, Alena, and their daughter, Haden. Haden plays for the St. Louis Scott Gallagher (SLSG) Soccer Club in the Elite Clubs National League (ECNL).