MONACA, Pa. — Penn State Beaver Athletics announced the hiring of Sam Sharpless as the new head coach of the women’s soccer program.

A Beaver County native and Penn State Beaver alumnus, Sharpless brings a strong blend of local ties, collegiate experience and a passion for student-athlete development to the role.

Sharpless is a graduate of Freedom High School who continued his academic and athletic career at Penn State Beaver, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in marketing and management. He then completed a master’s degree in higher education administration from Louisiana State University.

“I’m excited to come in and rebuild a program that has the capacity to compete for championships under the right circumstances,” Sharpless said. “Being an alumnus myself, there is a lot of passion and pride that I have for Penn State Beaver athletics, and I want to see this team thrive on and off the pitch.”

Sharpless brings a diverse coaching background to the position. He currently serves as the head coach of the Ellwood City High School boys/co-ed soccer team, a role he has held since 2024. Prior to that, he spent two seasons as the goalkeeper coach for North Catholic High School’s girls’ program and four years as the goalkeeper coach for the Penn State Beaver men’s soccer team.

As a player, Sharpless competed for four years at Freedom High School before continuing his career at Penn State Beaver, where he was a four-year member of the men’s soccer program. He also gained experience at the semi-professional level, playing three years in the United Premier Soccer League (UPSL) with Pittsburgh City United.

In addition to his coaching responsibilities, Sharpless currently works at the Community College of Beaver County (CCBC) as an office and compliance manager in Human Resources. He previously served as an enrollment team lead at CCBC through 2024, further demonstrating his commitment to student success both inside and outside of athletics.

“I want to give young players the opportunity to thrive in both school and sport,” Sharpless added. “I truly believe Penn State Beaver can offer a lot to potential student-athletes, and I’m excited to help build something special here.”

Penn State Beaver Director of Athletics Andy Kirschner said the program’s new leadership under Sharpless is poised to lead the team into an exciting new era.

“We are thrilled to welcome Sam back to Penn State Beaver as our head women’s soccer coach,” Kirschner said. “His connection to this campus, combined with his coaching experience and passion for student-athlete development, makes him a tremendous fit. We’re excited about the direction of the program under his leadership and look forward to what the future holds.”