Evangel University Women's Soccer head coach Bruce Deaton announced the hiring of Joanna Scott, who will serve as the program's assistant coach in the 2025 season.
"Joanna Scott (Coach Jo) will be a great addition to our EUWSOC program. She brings experience as a collegiate athlete, having played soccer at the NAIA level, and a wealth of experience at a variety of levels as a coach. She even helped us out ten years ago when we first began the program here," stated Head Coach Bruce Deaton. "Most of all, I know her heart to serve and share the game and Jesus. Last summer, her and her husband joined me in Lilongwe, Malawi on a mission project and I got to see her pour into players, coaches and everyone she met to help them grow to an understanding of their faith. Our players will be blessed to have Coach Jo walk alongside them each day and help them grow in both the game and their own journey. I am most definitely looking forward to what lies ahead!"
Scott joins the program after serving as a coach for five different youth soccer organizations, including the Springfield Soccer Club who captured the President's Cup Championship in 2015-16. Joanna brings organizational leadership to the Valor Women's Soccer squad, most recently serving as the director of Springfield HappyFeet, a youth soccer program for ages two to seven.
A graduate and former soccer athlete of Nelson University (formerly SAGU), Scott has obtained a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies and Church Ministries, a Bachelor of Science in Parks, Recreation, and Sports Administration (Missouri State), and a Masters of Science in Sports Administration (University of Northern Colorado).
"I am grateful for the opportunity to join the Valor family. My days as a student athlete at a Christ-focused university were incredibly impactful and full of fond memories. It was during this time that I learned the power sport holds as a tool to build relationships and positively impact the next generation, leading to a career in youth development through sport administration," said Scott. "I am humbled to see the path God has placed to allow me to return to college athletics at a Christian university. I am honored to learn under the leadership of Coach Bruce and to serve in a role that focuses not only on developing a high-quality soccer program, but also on caring for the players - their lives, their spiritual walk, and the leaders they are becoming."
