Bio

BJ Pheasant is entering his fourth year with the Defiance College women's soccer program for the 2020-21 season. After being hired as an assistant coach in 2018, Pheasant took over as interim head coach for the 2019 campaign and had the interim tag removed in January 2020. In 2019 under Pheasant, the Yellow Jackets improved by quadrupling their goals scored and doubling their wins from 2018.

Pheasant, who brings experience from nationally ranked teams with a postseason pedigree, came to Defiance from Baldwin Wallace University in the tough Ohio Athletic Conference. In 2016, he was at Thomas More College where the coaching staff earned the 2016 NSCAA Region Coaching Staff of the Year award for last season's achievements. The team won its sixth straight conference title and reached No. 3 in the country with a 22-1-1 record, advancing to the Sweet 16 or better in the NCAA tournament for the fourth straight year. While serving as associate head coach at Concordia University Chicago (CUC), Pheasant was a part of four consecutive double-digit winning seasons while leading CUC to the NACC conference tournament for the first time. Pheasant also has experience in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference with programs at Franklin College and Manchester University. 

Prior to his collegiate coaching career, Pheasant coached high school teams for 11 years, club teams for 19 years, and in the Olympic Development Program (ODP). He has a career record of 425-161-76 in his 51 seasons of action at all levels and has two state titles and two final fours in club soccer, along with two teams that advanced to semi-state in the high school ranks. He has both an NSCAA Advanced National and Level 3 Goal Keeping Diplomas.

Pheasant earned degrees in business and agricultural economics from Purdue University in 2002. Along with his master’s degree in athletic administration and sports management from Indiana University in 2009.