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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
Website	yhcathletics.com

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 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. 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.

Young Harris later became a member of the PBC, effective July 1, 2012. 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. 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. 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. The college added men's and women's lacrosse teams and a competitive cheerleading team in the 2012–2013 academic year.

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. 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)
• Conference Carolinas (2023–present)

Varsity teams

Young Harris also sponsors a co-ed spirit cheer program.

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. After Herrmann's retirement at the end of the 2017–18 season, Jeremy Currier took the helm of the program.

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. 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. Longtime Division I head coach Jim Davis then served as the Mountain Lions' head coach for the 2018–19 season. Upon Davis' departure, Lindsey Huffman took the helm of the program and has served as head coach since the 2019–20 season, winning Peach Belt Conference coach of the year honors in her first season.

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. Christiane Lessa led the program for the 2016 season, followed by longtime Kennesaw State head coach Rob King through 2020. The program is currently led by former Young Harris men's soccer athlete and assistant under Kathy Brown, Avram Allen.

Notable alumni

Men's soccer

• Kevin Coiffic
• Daniel Fischer
• Carlos Gómez
• Ilija Ilić
• Anuar Kanan
• Macauley King
• Marco Micaletto
• Mikie Rowe
• Khurram Shazad
• Yesin van der Pluijm

Women's soccer

• Kennya Cordner
• Candace Edwards
• Natisha John
• Ahkeela Mollon

Baseball

• Nick Markakis
• Charlie Blackmon
• Billy Buckner

References

1. "Young Harris College - Quick Facts". July 10, 2015. Retrieved February 13, 2017.
2. Stillwell, Dan (July 14, 2010). "WVU Tech's bid to return to NCAA rejected". The Register-Herald. Archived from the original on March 22, 2012. Retrieved January 11, 2012.
3. Staff (July 12, 2011). "YHC granted candidacy for NCAA Division II membership". Enotah Echoes. Archived from the original on March 13, 2012. Retrieved January 11, 2012.
4. ^ Staff (January 9, 2012). "Peach Belt Conference to add one more member". WRDW-TV. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 11, 2012.
5. "Young Harris College extended an invitation to join the Peach Belt Conference". Young Harris College. January 10, 2012. Archived from the original on January 26, 2012. Retrieved January 11, 2012.
6. Staff (December 5, 2011). "Young Harris to Add M&W Lacrosse in 2013". Lacrosse Magazine. Archived from the original on June 10, 2015. Retrieved January 12, 2011.
7. "PEACH BELT CONFERENCE FILES LAWSUIT AGAINST YOUNG HARRIS COLLEGE". Peach Belt Conference. January 30, 2023. Archived from the original on January 30, 2023. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
8. "Conference History". Archived from the original on January 3, 2023. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
9. "YHC drops heartbreaker in season opener" Archived 2011-07-18 at the Wayback Machine YHC Athletics website, November 13, 2010
10. "Herrmann announces his retirement as men's basketball coach". Archived from the original on January 22, 2023. Retrieved January 22, 2023.
11. "Jeremy Currier introduced as Young Harris men's basketball coach". Archived from the original on January 22, 2023. Retrieved January 22, 2023.
12. "YHC hits the road to take on Georgia Southwestern" Archived 2011-07-18 at the Wayback Machine YHC Athletics website, November 19, 2010
13. "Matt Stearsman named women's basketball head coach for the Mountain Lions". Archived from the original on January 22, 2023. Retrieved January 22, 2023.
14. "Jim Davis introduced as next women's basketball coach for the Mountain Lions". Archived from the original on January 22, 2023. Retrieved January 22, 2023.
15. "Lindsey Huffman named head women's basketball coach". Archived from the original on January 22, 2023. Retrieved January 22, 2023.
16. "Huffman named PBC Coach of the Year, White named to the All-PBC third team". Archived from the original on January 22, 2023. Retrieved January 22, 2023.
17. "Kathy Brown - Women's Soccer Coach". YHC Athletics. Archived from the original on May 9, 2023. Retrieved May 9, 2023.
18. "Christiane Lessa - Women's Soccer Coach". YHC Athletics. Archived from the original on May 9, 2023. Retrieved May 9, 2023.
19. "Rob King - Women's Soccer Coach". YHC Athletics. Archived from the original on May 9, 2023. Retrieved May 9, 2023.
20. "Avram Allen - Women's Soccer Coach". YHC Athletics. Archived from the original on May 9, 2023. Retrieved May 9, 2023.

External links

• Official website

v t e College sports teams in Georgia
NCAA Division I	Georgia Georgia Southern Georgia State Georgia Tech Kennesaw State Mercer West Georgia
NCAA Division II	Albany State Augusta Clark Atlanta Clayton State Columbus State Emmanuel Fort Valley State Georgia College Georgia Southwestern Morehouse North Georgia Savannah State Shorter Valdosta State Young Harris
NCAA Division III	Agnes Scott Berry Covenant Emory LaGrange Oglethorpe Piedmont Wesleyan
NAIA	Brenau Brewton–Parker Coastal Georgia Dalton State Georgia Gwinnett Life Middle Georgia (NCAA Division II in 2025) Point Reinhardt Savannah Art and Design Savannah Art & Design–Atlanta Thomas Truett McConnell
NJCAA Division I	Abraham Baldwin Albany Tech East Georgia Georgia Highlands Georgia Military Gordon State South Georgia Tech
NCCAA Divisions I and II	Paine Toccoa Falls

• Young Harris Mountain Lions