Young Harris Mountain Lions
The Young Harris Mountain Lions are the athletic teams that represent Young Harris College, located in Young Harris, Georgia, in intercollegiate sports at the Division II level of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), primarily competing in Conference Carolinas beginning in the 2023–24 academic year.
| Young Harris Mountain Lions | |
|---|---|
 | |
| University | Young Harris College |
| Conference | Conference Carolinas (primary) |
| NCAA | Division II |
| Athletic director | Jennifer Rushton |
| Location | Young Harris, Georgia |
| Varsity teams | 16 (7 men's, 8 women's, 1 co-ed) |
| Basketball arena | The Harp Recreation and Commencement Center |
| Baseball stadium | Zell B. Miller Field |
| Softball stadium | YHC Softball Field |
| Soccer stadium | YHC Soccer and Lacrosse Field |
| Lacrosse stadium | YHC Soccer and Lacrosse Field |
| Tennis venue | Bob & Gayle Nichols Tennis Complex |
| Nickname | Mountain Lions |
| Colors | Purple and white[1] |
| Website | yhcathletics |
Young Harris competes in fifteen intercollegiate varsity sports. Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, lacrosse, soccer, and tennis; while women's sports include basketball, cross country, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, tennis, and volleyball. The Mountain Lions also sponsor a co-ed spirit cheerleading team.
History
On July 1, 2014, the school completed the transition from the GCAA and the NJCAA to the NCAA at the Division II level. The college originally applied to the NCAA in 2010, but the application was rejected.[2] The school re-applied in 2011 and received acceptance into the three-year process to become a full member. As of the 2011–12 academic year, Young Harris was in the first year of candidacy-membership.[3]
Young Harris later became a member of the PBC, effective July 1, 2012.[4] As part of the transition process into the NCAA, the college began NCAA Division II and Peach Belt Conference schedules for its athletic teams and was immediately eligible for all regular-season championships and other conference awards.[4] During the transition process into the NCAA the college is ineligible for NCAA postseason automatic bids as well as for participation in any PBC Championships which award automatic bids to NCAA Tournaments.[4] As part of the transition to the NCAA, Young Harris reinstated its men's basketball program in 2010, bringing intercollegiate basketball to the college for the first time in 40 years; at the same time, YHC added women's basketball.[5] The college added men's and women's lacrosse teams and a competitive cheerleading team in the 2012–2013 academic year.[6]
Effective June 30, 2023, Young Harris College withdrew from the Peach Belt Conference, resulting in a lawsuit against the school for not providing a notice of withdrawal at least two calendar years in advance as stated in the conference constitution. Young Harris College gave less than a year's notice, resulting in a fee of $240,000 dollars.[7] On July 1, 2023, Young Harris College officially joined Conference Carolinas, becoming the 14th member of the NCAA Division II conference.
Conference affiliations
NJCAA
- Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association (2010–2011)
NCAA
- Peach Belt Conference (2012–2023)[8]
- Conference Carolinas (2023–present)
Varsity teams
Young Harris also sponsors a co-ed spirit cheer program.
| Men's sports | Women's sports |
|---|---|
| Baseball | Softball |
| Basketball | Basketball |
| Cross country | Cross country |
| Golf | Golf |
| Lacrosse | Lacrosse |
| Soccer | Soccer |
| Tennis | Tennis |
| Volleyball | |
Individual teams
Baseball
Baseball coach Rick Robinson earned his 500th win at Young Harris in April 2009, and had been highly successful in placing players in Division I schools. The Young Harris baseball team has captured eight Georgia Junior College titles and five Region XVII titles since 1999, and advanced to the Junior College World Series 2007. The team has averaged 49 wins per season each year since 2004. The team plays on Zell B. Miller Field.
Men's basketball
The school fielded a successful men's basketball team in the 1950s and 1960s. However, the program remained dormant until November 13, 2010, when the sport returned after a 40-year absence, led by former Georgia interim head coach Pete Herrmann.[9] After Herrmann's retirement at the end of the 2017–18 season,[10] Jeremy Currier took the helm of the program.[11]
| Season | Coach | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pete Herrmann (Independent) (2010–2012) | |||||||||
| 2010–11 | Pete Herrmann | 5–21 | Transition to DII | ||||||
| 2011–12 | Pete Herrmann | 22–4 | Transition to DII | ||||||
| Pete Herrmann (Peach Belt Conference) (2012–2018) | |||||||||
| 2012–13 | Pete Herrmann | 17–9 | 12–7 | 2nd (West) | |||||
| 2013–14 | Pete Herrmann | 17–9 | 11–8 | T–2nd (West) | |||||
| 2014–15 | Pete Herrmann | 13–14 | 9–10 | T–4th (West) | |||||
| 2015–16 | Pete Herrmann | 15–14 | 13–6 | 3rd (West) | |||||
| 2016–17 | Pete Herrmann | 17–11 | 11–8 | T–1st (West) | |||||
| 2017–18 | Pete Herrmann | 8–20 | 7–15 | T–9th | |||||
| Jeremy Currier (Peach Belt Conference) (2018–present) | |||||||||
| 2018–19 | Jeremy Currier | 13–16 | 11–11 | T–6th | |||||
| 2019–20 | Jeremy Currier | 9–19 | 7–13 | 9th | |||||
| 2020–21 | Jeremy Currier | 5–6 | 5–5 | 7th | |||||
| 2021–22 | Jeremy Currier | 6–21 | 3–15 | T-9th | |||||
| 2022–23 | Jeremy Currier | 19–10 | 9–9 | 4th | |||||
| Total: | 156–174 (.473) | ||||||||
|
National champion
Postseason invitational champion
| |||||||||
Men's soccer
The men's soccer team was a regional finalist in 2006 & 2007. In 1998, led by former coach Jim Thomas, the Mountain Lions won the 1998 NJCAA Division I State Soccer Title.
Women's basketball
Women's basketball began at Young Harris on November 15, 2010, led by former Mississippi State head coach Brenda Paul.[12] Paul was succeeded by Matt Stearsman, who served most of the 2014–15 season as interim head coach before leading the program as full-time head coach until the end of the 2017–18 season.[13] Longtime Division I head coach Jim Davis then served as the Mountain Lions' head coach for the 2018–19 season.[14] Upon Davis' departure, Lindsey Huffman took the helm of the program and has served as head coach since the 2019–20 season,[15] winning Peach Belt Conference coach of the year honors in her first season.[16]
| Season | Coach | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brenda Paul (Independent) (2010–2012) | |||||||||
| 2010–11 | Brenda Paul | 11–13 | Transition to DII | ||||||
| 2011–12 | Brenda Paul | 23–3 | Transition to DII | ||||||
| Brenda Paul (Peach Belt Conference) (2012–2014) | |||||||||
| 2012–13 | Brenda Paul | 13–13 | 7–12 | 6th (West) | |||||
| 2013–14 | Brenda Paul | 19–7 | 14–5 | 3rd (West) | |||||
| Brenda Paul/Matt Stearsman (Peach Belt Conference) (2014–2015) | |||||||||
| 2014–15 | Brenda Paul Matt Stearsman (Interim) | 10–16 | 7–12 | 6th (West) | |||||
| Matt Stearsman (Peach Belt Conference) (2015–2018) | |||||||||
| 2015–16 | Matt Stearsman | 11–15 | 6–13 | 6th (West) | |||||
| 2016–17 | Matt Stearsman | 9–17 | 5–14 | 6th (West) | |||||
| 2017–18 | Matt Stearsman | 9–20 | 6–16 | 9th | |||||
| Jim Davis (Peach Belt Conference) (2018–2019) | |||||||||
| 2018–19 | Jim Davis | 6–22 | 4–18 | 12th | |||||
| Lindsey Huffman (Peach Belt Conference) (2019–present) | |||||||||
| 2019–20 | Lindsey Huffman | 14–15 | 8–12 | T-8th | |||||
| 2020–21 | Lindsey Huffman | 5–7 | 5–7 | 7th | |||||
| 2021–22 | Lindsey Huffman | 13–15 | 5–13 | T-8th | |||||
| 2022–23 | Lindsey Huffman | 15–14 | 9–9 | T-6th | |||||
| Total: | 158–177 (.472) | ||||||||
|
National champion
Postseason invitational champion
| |||||||||
Women's soccer
The Young Harris Lady Mountain Lions won the 2006 NJCAA Division I Women's Soccer National Championship, under head coach Kathy Brown. Brown originally served as the assistant coach at Jacksonville State before coming to Young Harris in 1997 and starting the women's soccer program. In just her first season as a head coach, Brown celebrated her first state championship. Coach Brown led the Lady Mountain Lions to a total of eight state titles during her tenure, which lasted through the 2015 season.[17] Christiane Lessa led the program for the 2016 season, followed by longtime Kennesaw State head coach Rob King through 2020.[18][19] The program is currently led by former Young Harris men's soccer athlete and assistant under Kathy Brown, Avram Allen.[20]
Notable alumni
Men's soccer
Women's soccer
Baseball
References
- "Young Harris College - Quick Facts". July 10, 2015. Retrieved February 13, 2017.
- Stillwell, Dan (July 14, 2010). "WVU Tech's bid to return to NCAA rejected". The Register-Herald. Retrieved January 11, 2012.
- Staff (July 12, 2011). "YHC granted candidacy for NCAA Division II membership". Enotah Echoes. Retrieved January 11, 2012.
- Staff (January 9, 2012). "Peach Belt Conference to add one more member". WRDW-TV. Retrieved January 11, 2012.
- "Young Harris College extended an invitation to join the Peach Belt Conference". Young Harris College. January 10, 2012. Retrieved January 11, 2012.
- Staff (December 5, 2011). "Young Harris to Add M&W Lacrosse in 2013". Lacrosse Magazine. Retrieved January 12, 2011.
- "PEACH BELT CONFERENCE FILES LAWSUIT AGAINST YOUNG HARRIS COLLEGE". Peach Belt Conference. January 30, 2023. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
- "Conference History". Retrieved January 2, 2023.
- "YHC drops heartbreaker in season opener" YHC Athletics website, November 13, 2010
- "Herrmann announces his retirement as men's basketball coach". Retrieved January 22, 2023.
- "Jeremy Currier introduced as Young Harris men's basketball coach". Retrieved January 22, 2023.
- "YHC hits the road to take on Georgia Southwestern" YHC Athletics website, November 19, 2010
- "Matt Stearsman named women's basketball head coach for the Mountain Lions". Retrieved January 22, 2023.
- "Jim Davis introduced as next women's basketball coach for the Mountain Lions". Retrieved January 22, 2023.
- "Lindsey Huffman named head women's basketball coach". Retrieved January 22, 2023.
- "Huffman named PBC Coach of the Year, White named to the All-PBC third team". Retrieved January 22, 2023.
- "Kathy Brown - Women's Soccer Coach". YHC Athletics. Retrieved May 9, 2023.
- "Christiane Lessa - Women's Soccer Coach". YHC Athletics. Retrieved May 9, 2023.
- "Rob King - Women's Soccer Coach". YHC Athletics. Retrieved May 9, 2023.
- "Avram Allen - Women's Soccer Coach". YHC Athletics. Retrieved May 9, 2023.
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