Jessica Merchant, who was promoted to associate head coach prior to the 2020 season, enters her eighth season at Stanford in 2025. She added the title of Jessica Mendoza Associate Head Coach prior to the 2022 season.
The 2024 was another historic season on The Farm, with the Card returning to Oklahoma City for a second consecutive season, the first back-to-back trip in program history. Merchant helped guide Stanford to a 50-17 record, the second-most total wins in program history and the first 50+ win season since 2001.
In postseason play, the 2024 squad showed up on the biggest stage. The Cardinal won five elimination games, advancing to the WCWS semifinal while hosting both Regionals and Super Regionals on The Farm for the first time since 2009.
In 2023, Merchant assisted the Cardinal in one of its best seasons to date, finishing 47-15 overall, 14-10 in the Pac-12 and two wins shy of a spot in the national championship series. The Cardinal made its third NCAA Women's College World Series appearance overall and first since 2004. Stanford finished tied for fourth place in the Pac-12, clinching its first winning conference record since a 13-11 finish in 2013 while the 14 conference victories were its most since a 17-11 mark in 1998.
In addition to the team success in 2023, Merchant helped develop four NFCA All-West Region selections, representing the Cardinal's most recipients since 2012. The Cardinal also boasted seven individuals combining for 10 overall All-Pac-12 selections, the most since producing 10 and 12, respectively, in 2013.
Merchant helped lead the Cardinal to a 39-22 record and a Super Regional appearance during the 2022 season. It was the first Super Regional appearance for the program since 2011, while the 39 wins, 11 Pac-12 wins, and fourth place finish in the conference were all the most for the Cardinal since 2013. Stanford's defense turned a Pac-12-leading 21 double plays on the season to post a .975 fielding percentage. Both Sydnee Huff and Emily Young were also named to the Pac-12 All-Defensive team during the season.
Amid county restrictions that didn't allow the program to practice on campus until 15 days before the start of the season, Merchant helped lead the Cardinal to a 33-22 record and a postseason appearance in the 2021 season. Stanford was the No. 2 seed at the Fayetteville Regional, where it went 2-2, while the 9-12 record in Pac-12 play was Stanford's best conference showing since 2013. Alana Vawter and Taylor Gindlesperger earned all-region honors, while both were joined by Emily Young, Teaghan Cowles and Montana Dixon on the All-Pac-12 teams.
Merchant helped guide the 2020 Cardinal to a 22-4 overall record, completing just over one month of nonconference play before the remainder of the season was shortened due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Stanford received votes in the major polls throughout the year, finishing the season as the highest vote-getter outside of the top 25 in the Softball America poll and the second-highest vote-getter outside the top 25 in the NFCA poll. Working directly with the offense, Merchant saw the Cardinal win 12 games in its final at bat in 2020, including nine walk-off wins (four walk-off home runs). On the base paths, Stanford was 59-for-62 in stolen base attempts to place ninth in program history for a single season despite playing only 26 games. The stolen base numbers placed first in the Pac-12 and fifth in the nation, while the Cardinal, which combined for a .325 team average, also paced the conference in triples (15) to rank second in the nation.
In her second season at Stanford, Merchant helped the 2019 Cardinal to a 33-20 overall record, including an 8-13 mark in the Pac-12 Conference, to reach its first NCAA Tournament since 2013. The Cardinal's 33 wins, two of which came over top-10 opponents, were the most in a season since 2013, and the winning record was the first for the Card since 2014. Merchant saw the Cardinal bat .276 as a team while registering the most triples in program history (25).
Merchant was an assistant for Stanford head coach Jessica Allister at Minnesota for seven seasons prior to coming to The Farm. The duo helped lead the Gophers to a 290-107 record, including a program-best 56-5 mark in 2017 where the Gophers earned the first No. 1 national ranking in the USA Today/NFCA Coaches poll in program history.
“I worked with Coach Merchant for seven years at Minnesota and saw first hand the difference she makes in a program,” said Allister. “She does a great job with the infield and hitters, has a tremendous rapport with the student-athletes and is a talented recruiter. I knew I wanted her to continue to be a part of my staff.”
Minnesota claimed its first regular season Big Ten title since 1991 in 2017 and won three Big Ten Tournament championships in the last four seasons under Allister and Merchant.
Prior to her time at Minnesota, Merchant coached at Massachusetts (2007-2010) and at her alma mater, Michigan (2006).
Merchant was a two-time NFCA All-American at Michigan and guided the Wolverines to the 2005 NCAA Championship – the first in program history. She graduated in 2005 with a degree in sport management and communication. Merchant played professionally with the Connecticut Brackettes and the New England Riptide.