Lancaster Bible College and the Lancaster Bible College Athletic Department are pleased to announce Jake Warren has been hired as the sixth women's soccer head coach in program history. Warren most recently was the head coach at Ohio Christian University in Circleville, Ohio and has also coached at Toccoa Falls College in Toccoa, Georgia.
 
In six seasons at Ohio Christian, Warren led the Trailblazers to double-digit victories three times, including 2016 when Ohio Christian won the River States Conference Regular Season Championship and reached the conference final. The Trailblazers went 10-6-2 during the last full season Warren coached in 2019, and the team reached the conference semifinals.
 
Warren said he was drawn to the Lancaster Bible job not only for the program's success on the field, but because of the campus community as well.
 
"My family and I were attracted to the culture on campus, and the community feel," Warren said. "The Lancaster Bible Athletic Department is Christ-centered and we felt that right away."
 
With the move from Ohio Christian, Warren will jump from NAIA to NCAA Division III, but said he is prepared for the move.
 
"I believe my previous two jobs have developed me as a coach and prepared me to run this program," Warren explained. "I am looking forward to the challenge of coaching at the NCAA Division III level and am ready to learn as quickly as possible as we prepare for the upcoming season"
 
Warren, who went 47-39-10 in his six seasons at Ohio Christian, said he is excited for the upcoming challenge because of the solid foundation of the Lancaster Bible Women's Soccer program.
 
"The roster is deep, they are competitive, and the foundation seems very strong," Warren said. "It is a great group of young women, and they seem to understand they have a big opportunity to take a step forward in the next few seasons, and I am excited about this group."
 
The Chargers have advanced to the North Eastern Athletic Conference Playoffs every season since joining the conference in 2011, and Warren said he hopes the Chargers can continue to improve their postseason performances.
 
"I like to lean on the defensive end of things, and I hope we can be organized as a unit on that end of the field," Warren said. "We will find a formula that works against the top teams in the NEAC, and while I hope we can become a stronger defensive team, I want to develop a strong understanding of how we want to attack as a unit as well."
 
Lancaster Bible Interim Director of Athletics Rod Baughman said he was thrilled Warren was joining the Lancaster Bible coaching staff and believes he is a great fit for the institution.
 
"We are truly excited to be adding Jake Warren to the great team of coaches God has assembled here at Lancaster Bible," Baughman said. "We believe his combination of experience and impact matches our mission of pursuing excellence in athletics and cultivating Christ-centered relationships that impact others."
 
Warren, who played professional soccer for FC Chattanooga in 2009 and 2010, will be moving to Lancaster in the coming weeks with his wife Ashley, and their two sons, Brooks and Braxton.
 
"We are excited for the new challenge and moving to a new part of the country," Warren said. "We are grateful for the opportunity and excited to be a part of the Lancaster Bible community."
 
The 2021 Lancaster Bible women's soccer schedule will be released later this month, as the Chargers will be on the field for the first time since the 2019 season due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.