Jess Shanahan became the eighth head coach of Eastern University Women's Soccer in April of 2022. Shanahan earned the opportunity to lead after a successful non-traditional season in an interim role. She joined the Eastern University Women's Soccer staff as an assistant in August of 2021. Shanahan has led the Eagles to the MAC Commonwealth Tournament in each of the last two seasons. In 2024, Shanahan coached the Eagles to a 12-6-3 record, their best mark since the 2011 campaign. Since 2021, nine players have been named to All-MAC Commonwealth teams under her watch.
Shanahan came to Eastern after a successful four-year playing career at LaSalle University and playing professionally for S.S. Lazio in Rome.
At LaSalle, Shanahan was a four-year starter in the midfield where she tallied six goals and 14 assists for the Division I Explorers. In 2017, she helped orchestrate an attack that scored 48 times. LaSalle finished 17-4-2 and earned an Atlantic 10 Championship and a berth in the NCAA Tournament. She started all 17 games in her junior campaign and the first 12 games of her senior year before injury ended her 2019 season.
Before college, she played at nearby Episcopal Academy where she helped the Churchwomen to an Inter-AC Title in her senior season. That year she was voted team MVP and earned All-Inter-Ac, All-Main Line, and All-DELCO.
Her players enjoy her competitive nature and commitment to the development of each student-athlete.
