Education Background

M.S., West Virginia University
B.S., Chowan

About Mr. Potter

Jonathan Potter completed his fourth season as head coach of the Presbyterian College men’s soccer team in the fall of 2019. He has led the team to an overall record of 27-44-9 (15-14-3 Big South) over that stint, with the team winning the 2017 Big South Tournament and advancing to the NCAA Tournament.

The 2019 team played in 11 one-goal games prior to earning the No. 5 seed and picking up an exciting 2-1 overtime road win over No. 4 Winthrop in the Big South Quarterfinals. The Blue Hose ultimately fell in the semifinals to the top-seeded and Big South Champions at Campbell. Sergio Pinto and Luca Ziegler both earned All-Tournament honors as well as All-Big South Second Team honors. Defender Cesar Sancho earned a spot on the First Team as well as the All-Freshman team after leading the team with six goals during the regular season. Adrian Edo Martin also earned Honorable Mention honors from the Big South.

In 2018, the Blue Hose saw DI program bests in overall wins (eight) and Big South wins (five) while ending the season at 8-12 (5-3 Big South) and earning the No. 3 seed in the Big South Tournament. After a 3-0 win over Longwood and 2-0 upset at No. 2 Radford, PC hosted No. 4 Campbell for the Big South Championship. After ending regulation in a 0-0 tie, the Camels ended the team’s hopes for back-to-back Big South titles with an OT goal. A program-best six players earned recognition from the Big South at the end of the regular season, and three players earned All-Tournament honors.

In 2017 Potter led the Blue Hose to a record of 6-9-5 (3-3-2 Big South) and won the Big South Tournament as the No. 6 seed. During the regular season, the Blue Hose scored a program-best (DI era) five goals in their “Senior Day” win over Campbell (10/21). They defeated the Camels again in the first round of the Tournament, winning 2-1, to advance on against Radford and then High Point. PC tied both the Highlanders and Panthers 0-0, but advanced on PK’s in both cases. The Blue Hose then drew UNCW for its first NCAA Tournament opposition. That game would also go into overtime tied 0-0, but the Seahawks scored in the first OT period to end the Blue Hose dream run. Another four players earned honors from the Big South, including a Second Team All-Big South selection and three All-Freshman selections.

In his first year at the helm, Potter guided the Blue Hose to a 7-10-3 overall record with a 4-4 mark in conference play. The seven wins marked the third biggest turnaround last season in NCAA DI and was the most wins in a season in program history at the time. The No. 5 seed in the Big South Championship, PC upset fourth-seeded Liberty 2-1 on November 6 for the program’s first ever victory in the conference tournament. The Blue Hose faced top-seeded Radford in the program’s first-ever semifinal appearance, falling to the Highlanders on penalty kicks after playing to a 1-1 draw in regulation. Potter saw four players earn annual awards, including a pair making Second Team All-Big South, one Honorable Mention and an All-Freshman honoree.

Prior to PC, Potter spent five seasons at Elon as an assistant coach where he helped the Phoenix win five conference championships and several NCAA Tournament appearances, including advancing to the second round in 2013 and 2015.

During Potter’s tenure, Elon achieved its highest national ranking of eighth, highest season ending RPI at 20th and most victories in program history, winning 15 matches in 2012 and 2013 and 14 in 2015.

Potter was also instrumental in overseeing the development of several players who are or had played professionally including Austen King (Carolina Railhawks), Gabe Latigue (New England Revolution) and Daniel Lovitz (Toronto FC). He also saw Elon goalkeeper Nathan Dean become the program’s all-time career leader in shutouts under his tutelage in 2014 and mentored a number of all-conference honorees during his five seasons.

Before coaching at Elon, Potter was an assistant with the Carolina Dynamo of the Premier Development League (PDL). The Dynamo won the 2011 South Atlantic Division title and qualified for the U.S. Open Cup.

Potter, who holds a “B” US Soccer Federation Coaching License and an advanced diploma from the NCSAA, also served as the director of men’s soccer operations at Davidson College, where he assisted in training, filming, editing, and analysis.

A four-year starter at Chowan, Potter appeared in all but one match during his career. He holds a bachelor’s degree in physical education with a concentration in sport management and a minor in business administration. He earned his master’s degree in athletic coaching education from West Virginia University in 2012.

In 2009 he trained with a professional team in Argentina and prior to that, played in the United Soccer League with a Northern Virginia Royals’ super-20 team that reached the 2008 North American finals.

Potter is married to the former Melissa Cochran of Macon, Ga.