JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Head coach Leah Stringer announced that three assistant coaches have joined the Lincoln women's soccer program for the 2025 season. Jon DeSha, Eli Chapman and Kevin Blackwood have all been named assistant coaches for the Blue Tigers.

DeSha joins Lincoln after serving as the head coach of both the boys' (2022-23) and girls' (2022-25) soccer teams at Helias High School in Jefferson City. DeSha led the girls' team to its first-ever conference championship in 2025, a season that was capped off by an appearance in the final four of the Class 3 state championship tournament. DeSha guided the Helias girls to three-straight district titles from 2023-25 and directed the Crusaders to the semi-finals of the Class 2 state championship tournament in 2024. As the coach of the boys' team in 2022, DeSha led the program to a district championship. He was named the MSHSAA Regional Coach of the Year in 2024 and 2025.

Prior to becoming a high school head coach, DeSha broke into the coaching ranks at Columbia College, where, as the assistant head coach, he helped launch the women's soccer program in 2008. Between 2008-12, DeSha coached 14 all-conference selections and 18 academic all-conference honorees. From 2013-15, DeSha was the head coach of the men's soccer team at Ottawa University in Kansas, guiding the program to back-to-back appearances in the KCAC tournament. DeSha coached eight all-conference players, including two first team honorees.
 
Chapman has spent the past four years instructing goalkeepers, including working at the Central Missouri Goalkeeping Academy from 2021-24, where he started his own training program. Since 2024, Chapman worked as a goalkeeper trainer at United Capital City Athletic. A Jefferson City native and Jefferson City High School graduate, Chapman played as a keeper at Illinois College where he earned academic all-conference recognition.
 
Blackwood is a former NCAA Division I soccer athlete who played at both Cleveland State University and The Ohio State University. From 2021-24, Blackwood served as the head junior varsity coach as well as the assistant varsity coach at Orange High School in Ohio.
 
The Lincoln women's soccer team, which will play its home games at Dwight T. Reed Stadium in 2025, opens its season in St. Louis, Mo. against Harris Stowe on September 12.