Our Staff

Jill Jokerst

2009-2010 will be the sixth year Jokerst will run Eutectic headquarters. No stranger to sports, Jokerst developed and coached the field hockey team at Lindenwood University for three seasons, earning KIT Conference Coach of the Year honors during her three-year tenure. As a student athlete, she competed as a Saint Louis University Billiken on the women's field hockey team and still is among record holders for single season and career statistics. 

In 2008, Jokerst took on the duties of president of the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. As president, Jokerst is instrumental in implementing conference strategic plans, including redefining the conference and evaluating all aspects of the conference operations. She spent the previous two years as president-elect/secretary for the KIAC and will maintain the position of president through the 2009-10 season.

In her spare time, Jokerst enjoys playing ice hockey, softball, and cycling.

Briana Hepfinger

After taking time off from full-time duties to have two wonderful little girls, Hepfinger, former athletic director (1998-2003) and assistant cross country coach (2005, 06), returned in 2007 as a part-time assistant who aids in all facets of the department.

Hepfinger, her husband Joe, and two daughters live in Webster Groves and enjoy golf and tennis in their free time.

Ashley Eldridge 

In 2009, Eldridge will begin her fifth year at STLCOP and returns as head coach of the women's basketball team. In her own collegiate career, she competed against the Eutectics as a Maryville University Saint. Eldridge began her career in basketball by competing on the AAU Lady Blue Devils basketball team. Her skill and leadership on the court earned her Rookie of the Year honors at both Rosary High School and Maryville University. As a starting point guard, she helped the Maryville Saints advance to conference championship titles in 2004 and 2005. 

In addition, Eldridge coaches training camps and scrimmages for younger players.

Marisha Griffin-Essex

Griffin-Essex joins the STLCOP staff this year to assist with the coaching duties of the women's basketball team.  She brings experience as a girls basketball coach at Normandy High School and Logos School in St. Louis. Griffin-Essex competed in collegiate women's basketball before graduating from Maryville University in 2003 with a degree in Psychology and Sociology. In 2006, she completed her master's degree in social work from Saint Louis University. She currently works at Logos School as an adolescent therapist and academic advisor.  

Brian Swift

In 2008, Swift returned for his fifth season as head coach of the men's basketball team. 2009-10 is Coach Swift's eighth year with the men's program. 

Swift's prior experience includes five years as head basketball coach of a local youth league team and six years coaching football at Kirkwood High School, as well as the last six years coaching select Little League Baseball. His first collegiate opportunity was at Forest Park, and he went on to assist at East Central Community College in Union, Mo., during the 2001–02 season. 

Swift enjoys spending time off the court as his son's high school football offensive coordinator.  An all-around sports fan, he also finds time to attend sporting events with his two sons.

Randi Tyler

2008 was Coach Tyler's first season leading the Eutectics. A graduate of the Missouri Baptist squad, Tyler was team captain and a top Midwest Classic Conference middle hitter. Her coaching experience includes Team Saint Louis Volleyball Club, where her team qualified and boasted high finishes at Nationals.

Tyler is a chiropractic student and coaches and plays volleyball in her free time.

Ryan Young

Young took on assistant coaching duties with the women's volleyball program in the 2008 season.  He coaches for St. Louis High Performance Club Volleyball, where he led his 14's team to a 7th place finish in the country.  Coach Young, also a recent grad of Missouri Baptist, played on the men's volleyball team where he contributed as a libero and outside hitter.

David Baker

Coach Baker began the cross country program at St. Louis College of Pharmacy in 2001.  Since then he has coached six Eutectic runners to national championships and had 11 all-conference runners. 

Prior to coaching at STLCOP, David spent seven years as the boys' and girls' distance coach at Parkway North High School in suburban St. Louis. While there, he coached three state champions, several All-State individual runners, and two state-qualifying girls' teams. 

Baker earned his Bachelor of Science degree in medical technology in 1994 at Southeast Missouri State University. From 1988-91, he competed on the track and cross country teams at Southeast where he was a three-time national qualifier in cross country and helped his team to a third place finish at the 1990 NCAA Division II national championship. Baker earned All-Conference honors in cross country in 1991 and the Most Valuable Runner award for the Southeast Missouri State University team in 1991.

Baker earned his MBA from Webster University and is currently the blood bank supervisor at St. Louis Children's Hospital. He and his wife live in Kirkwood with their four children.