East Texas A&M University Athletics

Since his hiring at Texas A&M-Commerce in 1998, Neil Piper has established the Lion soccer program into a consistent contender for the Lone Star Conference title.

The longest tenured head coach on the A&M-Commerce staff, Piper has compiled an overall record of 257-143-38 while leading the Lions to LSC titles in six different seasons (regular season champions in 1999, 2003, 2014 and 2016 and tournament champions in 1999, 2004, 2014 and 2015).

A two-time LSC Coach of the Year, Piper has coached 27 players that have earned a combined 44 First Team All-LSC honors, including LSC Offensive Players of the Year Erin de Wolfe (2003 and 2005), Megan Lasley (2009), Savannah Henderson-Grasser (2014) and Vicky Back (2016). Back was named Defensive Player of the Year in 2016 and Grasser was named Forward of the Year in 2016. Delaney Bunselmeyer was named Defensive Player of the Year in 2017 and Michelle Kotlik was named Midfielder of the Year.

In addition, under Piper, 27 players have been named All-Region with six garnering All-American honors (Tiffany Adams in 2004, Taylor Jordan and Megan Lasley in 2008, Savannah Henderson-Grasser in 2014 and 2016, Vicky Back in 2015 and 2016 and Delaney Bunselmeyer in 2017). In 2016, Back became the first player in A&M-Commerce history to be named a First Team All-American. She was named First Team All-American by Hero Sports, D2CCA and NSCAA. In addition, in 2016 Back and Grasser were the first two student-athletes in program history to be named NSCAA Scholar All-Americans. 

Piper has also guided the A&M-Commerce soccer program to national prominence. The Lions have made eight NCAA tournament appearances under his direction, including an Elite Eight appearance in 1999. Piper’s squads have knocked off the second-ranked team in the nation three times, defeating Metropolitan State 2-1 in 2006, handing Tampa a 3-2 loss in 2007, and besting West Florida 2-0 in 2014. 

Piper’s 257 career victories ranks him in the top 20 of active Division II head coaches for total wins while his .630 winning percentage also ranks among the nation’s top-40 active coaches with five years or more of Division II coaching experience. He has led the Lions to at least 10 victories 15 times and has posted a winning record in 19 of his 22 seasons on the A&M-Commerce sideline.

Piper joined the A&M-Commerce soccer coaching staff as an assistant in 1997 under Mike Munch before taking over the reigns of the program one year later.

A 1996 graduate of Wichita State University, with a bachelor’s degree in education, Piper went on to complete his master’s degree in Sports Administration in 1998 from WSU.

Prior to transferring to WSU, Piper attended Penn State University and Friends University, playing soccer at both institutions. He was a member of the 1993 Penn State team, which became the first Nittany Lions athletic team to capture a Big Ten title. He also was named to the 1993 All-Big Ten First Team.

During his stay at WSU, Piper was sports editor of the Wichita State Sunflower and was a correspondent for the Wichita Eagle.

Born September 8, 1972, in Portsmouth, England, Piper is the son of Norman (former soccer professional in England and U.S.) and Cheryl Piper.

He came to the United States in 1981 and became a U.S. citizen.

He is married to the former Anne Cillessen and they have two children, Cole and Lauren.

Piper's Career Coaching Record