Rogers State women’s soccer and head coach Josh Smith have announced the addition of Jessie Vilkofsky to the coaching staff as the assistant coach on July 16, 2020.
“I am super excited to have Jessie join our coaching staff,” said Smith. “Jessie will bring great experience to our program. Jessie is positive and eager to get started. We can’t wait to have her on campus.”
Vilkofsky will bring a wealth of coaching and playing experience with her to College Hill, including coaching at the Division I and Division II levels, as well as collegiate and professional playing experience.
“Jessie has coached at the NCAA D1 and D2 level and she played NCAA D2 and also professionally,” said Smith. “These experiences have given her a great understanding of the level and will help our program continue to grow.”
"I am very excited to be joining Josh and the Hillcats this upcoming season,” said Vilkofsky. “Our coaching philosophies and personal drive to create holistic excellence both on and off the field compliment well to make a great formula that will help this program reach new heights. I am grateful for this opportunity and absolutely ready to get to work. Go Hillcats!”
The Elizabeth, Pa., native comes to Claremore after playing professionally for Kobiecy Klub Pilkarski, a professional soccer club based in Bydgoszcz, Poland.
Before stepping back into professional soccer, Vilkofsky served as an assistant coach on the New Mexico State women’s soccer team for two seasons. Vilkofsky helped lead the Aggies to a pair of their best Western Athletic Conference seasons in program history, including matching the school record for WAC wins in 2015.
During her time in Las Cruces with the Aggies, Vilkofsky helped develop 12 Academic All-WAC performers, as well as three WAC Player of the Week award winners.
Prior to joining the Aggies, Vilkofsky was a member of the newly-formed Steel City FC soccer team, a Pittsburgh-based semi-pro team associated with the Women’s Premier Soccer League (WPSL). She started in every match during the summer of 2015 for Steel City FC.
Before that, Vilkofsky was an assistant coach for Division II program West Virginia Wesleyan in the Mountain East Conference. In 2014, she helped guide the Bobcats to a Division II Sweet 16 appearance for the first time since the late 1990s, as the team finished the season ranked No. 20 in the nation.
Vilkofsky played her collegiate career at Division II Wheeling Jesuit (2010-14) in Wheeling, West Virginia. She was a four-year starter for Cardinals and was the team captain for two of those years. As a player, Vilkofsky earned All-Mountain East Conference team accolades.
Vilkofsky has also been part of the coaching staff for the West Virginia Olympic Development Program, has volunteered as a coach for youth recreational leagues and has worked as a personal trainer.
Vilkofsky holds a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction, with a concentration in leadership from New Mexico State. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Management from Wheeling Jesuit, with a concentration in Marketing.
