Samantha Buckley (5) faces off against Catie Kawamura (19) during the match Feb. 19, 2022, between Eastern Oregon University and Willamette University at Community Stadium, La Grande. The Mountaineers lost 17-6 against the visiting Bearcats.

LA GRANDE — Eastern Oregon University women’s lacrosse head coach Monica Plut is set to resign, the university’s athletic director Anji Weissenfluh announced on April 20.

Plut served as the team’s head coach from January 2020 through April of this season, leading the way for Eastern’s first two years as an official program.

The Mountaineers played their first official season in 2022, after the team faced challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Eastern earned the program’s first official victory on Feb. 12, defeating Whitworth, 8-6. The Mountaineers tallied a 1-6 record overall in the 2022 season, which ended in early April.

In 2021 Eastern played strictly exhibition matches, taking the field for the first time. The Mountaineers tallied a 1-4 record.

Eastern is one of three schools in the Cascade Collegiate Conference that sponsor the sport as an official program. Plut put a large emphasis on expanding the sport locally and in the region during her time as head coach at Eastern — the former coach worked with local middle schools and high schools, teaching the sport.

Plut previously coached at Adams State University, a Division II school in Colorado — she also served as a high school coach before joining the program at Eastern Oregon.

According to the press release from Eastern’s athletic department, the university is in the process of conducting a national search for the team’s next head coach.