Highcock Hired to Run Women’s Soccer Program
William Penn University Athletics
Oskaloosa–William Penn University Athletics Director Greg Hafner has announced the hiring of Jaymee Highcock as the school’s new Head Women’s Soccer Coach.
Highcock has been the head coach of William Penn’s men’s soccer program the past two years and will remain in that position as well. Since coming aboard in the spring of 2015, he has steered the Statesmen to a 16-20-3 overall record, including an 8-13-1 mark in the incredibly strong Heart of America Athletic Conference.
“We are excited that Coach Highcock expressed interest in taking over our women’s program,” Hafner said. “He has proven to be knowledgeable about the game and will instill a renewed enthusiasm into the program.”
WPU has qualified for the Heart Postseason Tournament both years under Highcock and has defeated two nationally-ranked foes and two others that qualified for nationals. The navy and gold ended the 2016 campaign in the tournament quarterfinals with a 1-0 double-overtime loss to national final-site qualifier MidAmerica Nazarene.
In his first year at the helm, Highcock guided the Statesmen to a 4-0 start in their inaugural season in the Heart, highlighted by a win over rival Grand View. He has coached three individuals to all-Heart recognition, including a first-teamer in Nenad Markovic this year, who was also chosen as the league’s Newcomer of the Year.
Highcock has previous coaching experience at fellow Heart institution Avila as an assistant and has been around the youth club circuit for several years as well. He is a graduate of Benedictine (another Heart school) and earned his Master’s from Avila.
An accomplished player at Benedictine, he was a team captain and helped his team to a 42-12-2 record in his tenure. Highcock was a part of the 2009 Heart championship team that reached nationals. Following his time at Benedictine, Highcock played two years for the Kansas City Brass of the PDL/USL.
Highcock becomes the seventh head coach in William Penn women’s soccer history and will take over a program that is in search of its first winning season since 2005. The squad is coming off a 7-11-1 season this fall (4-7-1 Heart) and an appearance in the Heart quarterfinals.
“I am very proud to accept the position as head women’s soccer coach and look forward to help continue to grow the soccer organization at William Penn,” Highcock said. “The school has been great to me over the last two years and I am happy to repay them in any way possible. I look forward to working with the returning players and helping them reach their academic and athletic goals. The future is very bright at William Penn and this will be a fantastic program to be part of.”
