Bio
Jake Plunket is currently in his ninth season with the Muhlenberg lacrosse program. In his time with Muhlenberg, Mules lacrosse has become one of the top programs in the Centennial Conference and a highly touted program nationally. In 2023, the Mules ranked as high as No. 14 in Inside Lacrosse Magazine and No. 17 in the USILA Coaches poll, earning a bid to the Centennial Conference playoffs for the second straight season.
Since 2021, the Mules lacrosse program has garnered six USILA All-Americans, six USILA Scholar All-Americans, 22 All-Centennial Conference performers and three USILA Academic Team Awards. As a Division III head coach, Plunket reached a career milestone earning his 100th win over Centennial Conference foe Ursinus during the 2022 season. Since teaming up with his Associate Head Coach Alex Stone, Muhlenberg has averaged the top statistical scoring defense in the Centennial Conference throughout the last three seasons (No. 2 in 2021, No. 1 in 2022, No. 2 in 2023).
A native of Homer, New York, Plunket played collegiately at Syracuse University. As a former captain with the Cuse, he helped the Orange to two Division I national championships (2002, 2004). He went on to play professionally, winning the MLL Championship with the Rochester Rattlers.
Plunket’s wife, Jessie, was captain and two-time All-American at SUNY Cortland, winning four SUNYAC lacrosse titles. As a passionate lacrosse family, the Plunkets run a local youth lacrosse club and lacrosse clinics, helping spread the love of the game in the greater Berks, Lancaster and Lehigh lacrosse counties. The Plunkets have two children, daughter Reagan and son Cooper.
Summary
• Overall career record through 2023 season: 113-71 (.614) in 12 seasons
• Record at Muhlenberg since 2018: 51-29 (.638) in six seasons
• Coached Mules to first national ranking in program history
• Back-to-back Centennial Conference playoff berths
• ECAC Tournament finalists
• Coached six All-American selections, 29 All-Centennial Conference selections and two CC rookies of the year
• Coached program's all-time leaders in points, goals, assists, ground balls and faceoffs won
Coaching Highlights
2023 Record 11-6
• Tied school record for wins in a season
• Qualified for Centennial Conference playoffs for second straight year and hosted CC playoff game for the first time
• Ranked in or just outside the Division III top 20 all season
• No. 18 ranking after taking two-time defending national champion RIT to triple-overtime was first time in top 20 in program history
• Record of 4-3 against teams that earned NCAA Tournament bids
• Posted 11-10 win against eventual NCAA quarterfinalist Dickinson
2022 Record 9-6
• Earned CC playoff berth for the first time since 2008
• Received votes in the Division III poll the entire season
• Led the CC in fewest goals allowed in league games
• Averaged 12.27 goals per game, a school record for a season with at least 10 games
• Three All-Americans for the first time in program history
2021 Record 5-4
• Centennial Conference coach of the year
• Ended season with 15-10 win at 10th-ranked Gettysburg
• Four losses came by a total of five goals, three to teams that were ranked in the top 20 all season
• Had the CC sponsored a postseason tournament, the Mules would have been the second seed and hosted a playoff game
• Received 12 votes - four spots out of the top 20 - in final Division III poll
• Program-record eight players on All-CC team, including CC rookie of the year
2020 Record 5-0
• Outscored first five opponents by 85-37 margin before season was stopped by Covid
2019 Record 10-6
• Finished with three Centennial Conference wins, the most in nine years
• Received votes in the national Division III poll
• Four of six losses came to nationally ranked CC opponents
• CC rookie of the year
2018 Record 11-7
• Broke school record for wins in a season
• Hosted ECAC Tournament and advanced to final
• Recorded first postseason win in program history, 19-5 vs. SUNY Canton
• Set school records for goals and assists in a season
• Received votes in the Division III national poll three times
• Individual school records for goals, assists and points in a season, faceoff wins in a career, season and game, and ground balls in a career and season
2017 Record 2-12
2016 Record 3-13
Coaching Career
• 2011-15 Head coach at Albright College
> Led startup program to 57-17 record in first four seasons
> Won ECAC Mid-Atlantic championship in 2013 and 2014
> Qualified for Commonwealth Conference playoffs all four years
> 2012 Commonwealth coach of the year
• 2009-10 Assistant coach at Hampden-Sydney College
> Helped Tigers to school-record-tying 13 wins in 2010
• 2006-08 Assistant coach at SUNY Cortland
> Served as defensive coordinator
> Coached 16 All-Americans and helped Red Dragons to 2006 national championship
Playing Highlights
• Four-year player at Syracuse, helping the Orange to two Division I national titles and serving as team captain in 2005
• Played professionally for Rochester Rattlers in 2007 and 2008, winning MLL championship in 2008
Personal
• Wife Jess is a former two-time All-America lacrosse player
• Has two children, daughter Reagan and son Cooper
