Jon DeSha begins his second season as assistant women's soccer coach in 2026.
DeSha joined Lincoln after serving as the head coach of both the boys' (2022-23) and girls' (2022-25) soccer teams at Helias High School in Jefferson City. DeSha led the girls' team to its first-ever conference championship in 2025, a season that was capped off by an appearance in the final four of the Class 3 state championship tournament. DeSha guided the Helias girls to three-straight district titles from 2023-25 and directed the Crusaders to the semi-finals of the Class 2 state championship tournament in 2024. As the coach of the boys' team in 2022, DeSha led the program to a district championship. He was named the MSHSAA Regional Coach of the Year in 2024 and 2025.
Prior to becoming a high school head coach, DeSha broke into the coaching ranks at Columbia College, where, as the assistant head coach, he helped launch the women's soccer program in 2008. Between 2008-12, DeSha coached 14 all-conference selections and 18 academic all-conference honorees. From 2013-15, DeSha was the head coach of the men's soccer team at Ottawa University in Kansas, guiding the program to back-to-back appearances in the KCAC tournament. DeSha coached eight all-conference players, including two first team honorees.
