Lees-McRae College Men's Soccer Learn more about our Program, our school, and our Culture

Lees-McRae has one mission: to educate and inspire students to approach life and work from a creative, collaborative, and critical perspective in preparation for diverse careers and environments. Through common ambition, we maintain our focus on the needs of all learners—residential on the main campus and degree-completion through our online programs. Some are athletes, some are in the honors program, and some are working while returning to school. Regardless of where you are and where you want to go, our expert faculty and committed staff will help you get there.

Lees-McRae's History

“Banner’s Elk,” as the village was once called, is said to have been settled around 1850. By the end of the century, the Presbyterian Church was becoming established in the area. In the summer of 1895, Concord Presbytery sent a young student from Union Theological Seminary in Virginia to organize a church at Banner Elk. In 1897, the newly ordained Rev. Edgar Tufts returned as pastor of the church.

In the winter of 1899, concerned with the limited offerings of the district school which was supplemented only by summer school work conducted by the church, Tufts took some of the young people of the neighborhood into his study for further instruction. This small group, called the Class of 1900, marks the beginning of Lees-McRae College.

More than a hundred years after its founding, Lees-McRae continues the vision of the Rev. Tufts, inspiring students of the Southern Appalachian region and beyond. The College extends educational opportunities and service to diverse populations and continues to fulfill its motto—In the Mountains, Of the Mountains, For the Mountains.

Lees-McRae Today

Lees-McRae is the home of 1,000+ students from 34 states and 23 countries. The Student to faculty ratio is 13:1.

Our campus lies 4,000 feet above sea level, making Lees-McRae College the highest elevated campus east of the Mississippi River.

Lees-McRae competes in the NCAA Division II and holds 25 different athletic teams.

Lees-McRae College offers 28 different Majors and 20+ different Minors categorized into four different schools of academia alongside 4 Graduate Programs. Allowing for students to enhance their educational experience.

Programs of Study

School of Arts and Humanities

The goal of an education in the arts and humanities is to connect students to the past while preparing them for the future. Our programs teach students how to think critically about what it means to be human, to explore how humanity defines and expresses itself, and to understand how our history informs our present. Through this process, students gain the skills they need to build a rewarding career and make a positive impact on the world.

School of Business and Management

A degree focused on business or management prepares students to take on a leadership role in a variety of different industries. Whether you want to start your own company, work for a corporation, or enter the non-profit sphere, you will need a marketable skillset rooted in understanding economics and business strategy. We offer a general Business Administration degree with specializations in Accounting, Finance, and Marketing as well as innovative majors and minors focused on sports and outdoor recreation.

School of Education and Social Sciences

Graduates from the School of Education and Social Sciences have one major commonality: a strong desire to serve others. Each of our programs in this school will teach you about the various challenges facing different populations, then equip you with the tools to solve those problems. The classes offer a combination of theory and practical experience that give students the skills they need to make a difference for children, families, individuals, and communities.

May School of Natural Health and Sciences

The goal of the natural sciences is to understand how the world works, why it works the way it does, and what that means for the millions of species that call it home. The science programs at Lees-McRae are focused on understanding the complex relationships between all living things and using that knowledge to promote the health and wellbeing of humans, animals, and the environment.

Graduate Programs

Lees-McRae College now offers four Graduate Programs for students to achieve a Masters Degree.

Master of Arts in Teaching which focuses on sending highly-qualified teachers into our schools so they can help provide opportunities for the next generation.
Master of Healthcare Administration focus on ensuring you will have the qualifications and knowledge to be a decision-maker on questions of management and policy. Learn how to identify the challenges in the 21st century healthcare system and lead your organization to develop effective solutions.
Master of Science in Criminal Justice builds and focuses on creating criminal justice leaders with the right skillset and qualifications for the real world.
Master of Science in Human Services empowers students to be effective agents of change for individuals, families, communities, and organizations through practical training in skills such as service, leadership, research, and advocacy.

Lees-McRae was recently ranked among 12th among top colleges and universities in the Southeast by U.S. News and World Report for 2026, a jump of 10 places from the 2025 ranking.

The college also ranked as one of the best regional colleges in the South in Undergraduate Teaching for the same year. Now in their 38th year, U.S. News & World Report compares bachelor degree-granting institutions from across the U.S. on “15 diverse measures of academic quality,” according to the website.

Lees-McRae College has been recognized nationally and statewide as a College of Distinction, with special nods to our academic programs in business and education.

The college took historic gold in the Top Adventure College competition hosted by Blue Ridge Outdoors magazine by becoming the first small school to win the overall title.

Check out our Aerial tour of campus!

Check out our Virtual Tour of Campus!

Celebrating who we are isn’t just about honoring our past, it’s also about building towards our future. President King has developed a new strategic for Lees-McRae, as well as the Facilities Master Plan—both long-term frameworks for how we’ll look in the years to come.

This map demonstrates the college's plan for the North Campus. The plans include new campus buildings, renovated dormitories, new housing options and more.

With President King having young athletes of his own, he also developed plans for the athletic side of campus, also known as, South Campus. These plans include a new indoor turf facility, an updated gym for student-athletes, a new athletic training room, dormitories for only student-athletes, and new housing.

Meet our Head Coach!

Head Coach: Taylor Morton

Taylor Morton was named the Head Men's Soccer Coach at Lees-McRae on May 3, 2022 by Vice President for Athletics and Club Sports Craig McPhail. Morton was previously serving as an assistant coach on former coach Shane Calvert's staff since 2020. Morton obtained NCAA Division I coaching experience as a volunteer assistant on the UNC Greensboro Spartans’ staff that led their program to the Southern Conference regular-season title and a spot in the championship game. In addition to his experience at Lees-McRae and UNC Greensboro, Morton also served a one-year stint as an assistant coach for Barton College where he assisted with all coaching duties, including creating scouting reports and recruiting. Morton was also a member of the Lees-McRae Bobcats’ soccer team from 2013-2017, appearing in 65 games and serving as one of the team’s main defenders en route to four-consecutive appearances in the Conference Carolinas post-season tournament.

Our Support Staff

Head Athletic Trainer: Luke Carson

Lucas Carson joined the Lees-McRae Athletic Training staff in 2013 and was recently promoted to the role of Head Athletic Trainer on August 10, 2018. Prior to Lees-McRae College, Carson received his Bachelor of Science degree in Athletic Training from Duquesne University (2011) in Pittsburgh, PA, and his Master of Science in Exercise Science and Health Promotion with a concentration in Fitness & Wellness from California University of PA (2012) in California, PA.

Director of Sports Information: Blake Smith

Blake Smith was hired as the Assistant Athletic Director - Director of Sports Information by Vice President for Athletics and Club Sports Craig McPhail on August 16, 2022. Smith comes to the mountains from Fairmont State University, where he was the Sports Information Director and the primary contact for 17 NCAA Division II athletic programs. As the Sports Information Director at Fairmont State, Smith oversaw graphic design materials and broadcasting through BlueFrame Technology, updating the athletic department's SIDEARM website, serving as the primary statistician for home games, while also promoting a CoSIDA Academic All-American, numerous All-MEC First Team honorees, and multiple All-Atlantic Region selections. Prior to his experience at Fairmont State, Smith served as the Sports Information Director at Alderson Broaddus and was the primary contact for 24 NCAA Division II athletic programs. After spending his first year in Philippi, West Virginia as the Assistant Sports Information Director, following the completion of his Bachelor's degree in Statistics from James Madison University, Smith was promoted to the director position and became the main coordinator for both the Alderson Broaddus' broadcasting initiatives and content creator for the SIDEARM website.

Strength and Conditioning Coach: Matthew Wisniewski

Matthew Wisniewski was hired by Lees-McRae Vice President for Athletics and Club Sports Craig McPhail on August 12, 2022 to become the new head strength & conditioning coach. Wisniewski comes to Banner Elk from nearby Appalachian State where he was a Sports Science Intern, while also obtaining his Master's degree in Exercise Science with a concentration in strength and conditioning from Appalachian State. While working with the Appalachian State athletic department, Wisniewski's responsibilities included management of the individual team's GPS data, providing student-athletes with specialized workouts as needed, as well as coordinating team training sessions with an emphasis on in-season and out-of-season workouts. Before moving to the mountains, Wisniewski was an Athletics Lab Intern in Morrisville, North Carolina, working as a group class instructor, a group and personal fitness plan developer for professional athletes, and also working with the NWSL Carolina Courage team. Wisniewski earned his Bachelor's degree in Exercise Science from Guilford College in Greensboro, North Carolina, while also being a member of Guilford's men's soccer program. Wisniewski has also served as a Strength and Conditioning Intern at North Carolina A&T, a Youth Soccer Coach for the North Carolina Fusion Soccer Club, and a volunteer coach for the Greensboro United Soccer Association.

Lees-McRae Athletics competes in NCAA Division II and the Conference Carolinas. Men's soccer hold 6 Conference Carolinas Regular Season Titles, 6 Conference Carolinas Tournament Titles, 5 NCAA Tournament Appearances, One NCAA National Championship Final Appearance.

The 2009 Lees-McRae Men's Soccer team was inducted into the Lees-McRae Hall of Fame in the Spring of 2022 for their historic season. The team made an unforgettable run to the NCAA Division II National Championship Game and has set the precedent for the program's future.

To go along with the 2009 success, Lees-McRae Men's Soccer has made 5 NCAA Tournament appearances since 2007. The program has produced 24 All-Americans along with multiple All-Region, All-Conference, and Conference Player of the Year Awards.

The Lees-McRae men's soccer team plays home games at the historic Tate Field. The pitch lies around 4,000 ft above sea level, which makes it the most elevated soccer pitch on the East Coast.

Tate Field has become a top tier pitch to play on after the installment of the brand new turf field in Spring of 2021. Historically Tate Field has provided a massive home field advantage due to the fans and mountainous environment.

Since the 2021 season, Lees-McRae men's soccer holds an overall record of 31-28-25 and a conference record of 24-16-19, while also reaching the Conference Carolinas Quarterfinals twice and the Semifinals once.

Lees-McRae Men's Soccer with an impressive team cumulative GPA of 3.54!

The program has earned the United Soccer Coaches Team Academic Award five years in a row!

Check out our Highlight Video!

Recent Awards

CoSIDA Academic All-American

Johannes Oeksnevad

D2CCA All-Southeast First Team

Fletcher Dyson

Conference Carolinas First Team All-Conference

Johannes Oeksnevad | Zach Aversano | Fletcher Dyson | Gray Smith

Conference Carolinas Second Team All-Conference

Daniel Garvilla | Gray Smith | Harrison Watts (Twice) | Nils Schulze | Gray Smith

Conference Carolinas Third Team All-Conference

Nate Phillips | Josh Garvilla | Adam Condron | Hayato Morimoto

Conference Carolinas Player of the Week Awards

Johannes Oeksnevad (Twice) | Josh Garvilla (Twice) | Fletcher Dyson (Twice)

NCCSIA First Team All-State

Johannes Oeksnevad

NCCSIA Second Team All-State

Zach Aversano | Cam Morton | Daniel Garvilla

Conference Carolinas Academic All-Conference

Conference Carolinas Presidential Honor Roll

CSC Academic All-District Team

Johannes Oeksnevad | Lane Koch | Fletcher Dyson | Jesper Jonsson x2 | Gray Smith x2

NCAA 2022 Team Stats

National Rankings (out of 199 teams)

32nd in the Nation for scoring offense - 2.11 Goals Per Game

50th in the Nation in assists per game - 1.56

T-42nd in the Nation for goal differential - +15 differential

39th in the Nation for points per game - 5.78

44th in the Nation in overall winning percentage - .639

22nd in the Nation in shot accuracy - .509

NCAA 2025 Stats

27th in the Nation in Team Goals Against Average

19 Games | 18 Goals Against | Goals Against Average .942 | 1719 Minutes Played

Tied for 23rd in the Nation in Save Percentage | Saves 69 | GA 18 | Save Percentage .793

Individual Stats - Sean Green | 30th in the Nation GAA | GP 16 | GA 14 | GAA .921

Sean Green | 20th in the Nation in Save Percentage | GP 16 | GA 14 | Saves 61 | % .813

Ten NCAA Division II All-Americans

2007 Tom Brailsford (1st team) 2007 Lee Squires (2nd team) 2007 Berin Boracic (3rd team) 2007 Dale Parker (Honorable Mention) 2008 Lee Squires (2nd team) 2009 Berin Boracic (3rd team) 2009 Luke Duffy (3rd team) 2009 Dale Parker (3rd team) 2009 Sean Paradise (Honorable Mention) 2010 Lee Squires (Honorable Mention)

Michael Shope's Legacy

Our Men's Soccer program not only focuses on getting results on the pitch but also on making our players into better men, academics, and the programs family oriented culture. We truly embrace the traditions of Lees-McRae College, including the annual preseason "Shope Run", where the team runs up Sugar Mountain from the very bottom to the very top together in order to honor Michael Shope. In 2006, a very impactful teammate, Michael Shope, lost his life in a boating accident. He was the first to make it to shore and dove back in the water with shoelaces tied together to help keep him and his friends together. He managed to save two lives but unfortunately was at the cost of his own. Michael Shope was the ideal teammate and will be forever remembered and honored within this program by having his number retired and a logo for him on every match and training kit.

Thank you for taking the time to learn more about our school and our program. We are excited to get you on campus and allow you to embrace who we are and what we are about! #BEGreat

Recruiting Questionnaire

Follow us on Social Media!

Instagram: @lmcmenssoccer
TikTok: @beingabobcat12
Youtube: Lees-McRae College Men's Soccer

As Always, Go Bobcats!! #BEGreat. https://www.givecampus.com/schools/LeesMcRaeCollege/bobcat-club