Sam Meinhard returns for his third season as an assistant coach in 2025.
Meinhard was named the head defensive line coach in January 2024 after his first season as a coach at his alma mater. He served as the assistant defensive line coach for his first season. He will serve as the Defensive Run Game Coordinator, is in charge of alumni outreach and will work as the assistant video coordinator.
In his second season working with the team's defensive line, the Pioneers improved in sacks (14) and matched their totals for forced fumbles (eight) and fumble recoveries (seven). The Pioneers allowed 21 points or less in three games.
During his first season with the program, Meinhard worked with a young group of defensive linemen and helped the program record three games where they allowed 24 points or less.
He returned to Palatine Hill after being a leader on the Pioneers defense in his two full seasons with the program. In 18 games as a linebacker at Lewis & Clark, Meinhard racked up 49 solo tackles, 100 total tackles, five sacks, one interception, one fumble, one fumble recovery and one receiving touchdown. As a senior, he was named to the Northwest Conference Honorable Mention Team.
Meinhard joined the Pioneers after Occidental College shut down their program after the 2019 season. In his first two years, Meinhard played in 13 games and racked up 87 tackles and three fumble recoveries.
He began his coaching career as an undergraduate. During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Meinhard served as an assistant football coach at Shaker Heights High School in Ohio. During the summer before his senior year of college, he worked collegiate camps at Stanford University, Dartmouth College and Princeton University. He also worked the Northwest Best Showcase at Lewis & Clark.
After graduating in the winter of 2022, Meinhard worked as a strength and conditioning intern with the Georgia Tech University football program.
Meinhard graduated Lewis & Clark with a degree in Economics.
