The 2025 season will be Eric Plunkett's second as Head Coach of the Wheaton volleyball team. Plunkett was named the head volleyball coach in January 2024 after serving in the same role at Gardner-Webb University since June of 2021.
In his first year at the helm of the Thunder program, Plunkett led Wheaton to a 15-14 overall record, marking the team's first winning season since 2019.
In his three seasons at Gardner-Webb, Plunkett's team set several school records. In his tenure, the Bulldogs recorded the first winning season in program history and qualified for their first Big South tournament appearance. His 2023 Gardner-Webb squad accomplished the second-highest regular season win total in program history and advanced to the Big South Tournament Semifinal for the first time. That squad established a program record with five Big South award winners in 2023.
Prior to his tenure at Gardner-Webb, Plunkett was an associate head coach and recruiting coordinator at Illinois State University. In his tenure at ISU, he progressed from Assistant Coach to Recruiting Coordinator and Associate Head Coach. In his time there, the Redbirds won four Missouri Valley Conference Championships and made four NCAA Division I Tournament appearances. Plunkett worked with thirty MVC All-Conference award winners, five Libero of the Year award winners, an MVC Player of the year, and three All-Americans.
Plunkett started his coaching career as an assistant coach at Clarke University in Dubuque, Iowa from 2010-12. He earned a master's degree in Coaching and Athletic Administration from Concordia University-Irvine.
Plunkett earned his bachelor's degree in Kinesiology from Cal Baptist University. Plunkett was the starting setter at CBU for three seasons and was selected team captain as a senior. He led CBU to three NAIA National Championships and was a two-time All-NAIA Invitational Team choice. He remains first in the Lancers' record book with 12.06 assists per set and ranks third with 3,739 career assists.
