Wheeling, W. Va. - With preparations for the 2026-2027 season underway, the Wheeling University Men's Soccer team is primed to start a new era under new leadership in 2026. After a national search, the Wheeling University Athletic Department has announced Jack Shearer as the seventh Head Men's Soccer Coach in program history. Shearer brings with him extensive experience in soccer, spanning 8+ years as both a coach and professional player, and he looks to help establish a winning culture with the Wheeling Men's Soccer program both on and off the field.
"It is a real honor and a privilege to take over the Men's Soccer program at Wheeling University," said Shearer. "I'm grateful for the opportunity to connect with the players, share my knowledge, and feel a sense of pride every single day in doing so. I am confident we can build something special here and represent the university in a proud manner. A big thanks to [Wheeling Athletic Director] Carrie Hanna for the opportunity, and I can't wait to get going."
Shearer comes to the Cardinals after serving as the Head Boy's Soccer Coach at Central Valley High School over the last four seasons. Over those four seasons, Shearer has helped rebuild his Alma Mater's team, leading them to the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL) playoffs in each of the last two seasons. This past season, the Warriors, would earn the #11 seed in the tournament field, after making the WPIAL Quarterfinals a season ago. Under his leadership, Shearer would coach Central Valley junior Owen Shearer to All-WPIAL status and helped build a winning culture with the Warriors.
Along with his experience as a coach, Shearer also serves as the CEO, player/coach, and a professional player for Bridge City FC, an indoor soccer club that he is a co-founder of. The team played their first season in 2025, finishing 7-5 through their 12-game schedule. Shearer also owns and operates Shearer Soccer Academy, where he provides both individual and group training sessions to players in and around the Pittsburgh area. His soccer academy aims to help soccer players of all ages and skill levels to reach their individual and collective goals as a player and a person. Shearer is also very familiar with the Mountain East Conference (MEC) landscape, serving as an assistant coach in Point Park's inaugural season in the conference in 2024.
"Jack Shearer's first-hand experience with the academic rigor and athletic excellence standards rooted in the ideals of Catholic institutions, coupled with his familiarity with the Mountain East Conference, make him the quintessential coach for Wheeling University," said Wheeling University Athletic Director Carrie Hanna. "We are excited to see him lead our Men's Soccer program into the future."
As a player, Shearer still plays professionally with Bridge City FC, where he was a leader on the offensive side of the ball this past season. In 12 games with Bridge City FC, Shearer would score 12 goals and finish with 13 assists to total 25 points. He was a standout NCAA DI player, spending time with Mount St. Mary's, Duquesne University, and St. John's University. In his freshman year with St. John's, he was unanimous Big East All-Freshman team selection. Shearer is a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania native, playing his high school soccer at Central Valley High School, where he finished as the school's all-time leading goal scorer with 95 career goals.
Shearer would earn his Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing, with a Minor in Sports Marketing from Duquesne University in 2021.
