Lees-McRae College

Banner Elk, NC 28604

North Carolina Southeast

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Coaches

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Cally Morrill

Cally Morrill enters her fourth-consecutive season as the Head Women's Soccer Coach at Lees-McRae in the 2022 season. This is Morrill's second stint at the helm as she coached the Bobcats from 2010-12, before coaching at Lynn University prior to returning to the mountains.

"The opportunity to come back to the mountains and the community of Banner Elk is a dream come true for our family," said Morrill. "I cannot thank Craig McPhail and Rita Smith enough as I have always valued the relationships and the passion that they both have for Lees-McRae. I am beyond excited to lead this program and continue the momentum of the College's vision."

Morrill brings a decorated coaching resume back to Lees-McRae. Since beginning her career as a head coach in 2010, Morrill has guided her teams to three regular season championships, three conference tournament championships and three trips to the NCAA Tournament. Furthermore, Morrill has coached 32 All-Conference players, 20 All-Region performers, two conference freshman of the year honorees and two All-Americans at coaching stints at Lees-McRae, Lenoir-Rhyne and Lynn.

"We are glad to have Cally return to lead our women's soccer program," said McPhail. "Her previous time in Banner Elk was filled with great success, both on and off the field. Cally is a proven leader, winner and has made a great impact on her student-athletes, coaches and administrators throughout her career. She will make us all better."

Morrill is a 2006 graduate of the University of Alabama. She also has an elementary education licensure from Lenoir-Rhyne University and a MBA from Lynn.

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Devan Malcolm

Devan Malcolm was hired as an assistant coach by Cally Morrill on Sept. 1, 2021. Malcolm comes to the mountains from Boca Raton, Florida, where she closed out her collegiate soccer career as the starting goalkeeper for NCAA Divison II Lynn University, while also earning her Master's degree in Business Administration in Entrepreneurial Management from Lynn University.

"We are extremely excited to add Devan to our women's soccer program and the Lees-McRae community," said Morrill. "I've had the opportunity to get to know Devan over the past three years, and I have seen her hunger and desire to enter the college game as a coach. Devan has a contagious personality and will be an outstanding role model for our team and specifically our goalkeepers. We are fortunate to have her as a part of our women's soccer family, as she will help solidify our aim to elevate the program within Conference Carolinas."

Prior to Malcolm's experience in Boca Raton, she was a youth soccer coach for both the Cheshire Youth Soccer Club in Connecticut and the Natick Soccer Club in Massachusetts. As a youth soccer coach, Malcolm's responsibilities included developing individualized sessions for each goalkeeper to work on building skill and working with the rest of her staff to develop practice plans and gameday tactics.

"I would like to thank Coach Cally Morrill for giving me this opportunity," said Malcolm. "The Lees-McRae women's soccer program is building a culture of success and I am grateful for a chance to be a part of it. I am excited to get to know the student-athletes and to help them succeed on and off the field."

Malcolm played four seasons of NCAA Division I soccer at Quinnipiac University, while obtaining her Bachelor's degree in Health Sciences. She also played one season in goal for the Lynn University program that reached the Sunshine State Conference tournament in 2019.

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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.

Throughout his first year on the Lees-McRae coaching staff, Morton’s main responsibilities were to assist in the following: coordinate pre-game preparations, in-game tactical decision-making, developing scouting reports, recruiting domestically and internationally as well as handling travel logistics. These responsibilities will continue over the next year.

Prior to returning to the mountains, 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 being the main camp director and organizer at UNC Greensboro, Morton assisted in managing pre-game preparations, in-game tactical decision-making and developing scouting reports.

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.

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Zach Aversano

Zach Aversano was hired by Lees-McRae Head Men's Soccer Coach Taylor Morton as an assistant coach on July 6, 2022. Aversano graduated from Lees-McRae College with his Bachelor's Degree in Sports Management in 2022, while also being a two-year team captain of the men's soccer program as a student-athlete.

In the fall of 2022, Aversano assisted first-year head coach Taylor Morton as Lees-McRae finished the season with an 8-3-7 overall record and 5-1-5 in Conference Carolinas play. Aversano helped mentor four men's soccer student-athletes as being named to College Sports Communicators Academic All-District® NCAA Division II Men's Soccer Team with Fletcher Dyson, Jesper Jonsson, Lane Koch, and Gray Smith.

Dyson was also named to Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA) Men's Soccer All-Southeast First Team in fall 2022 and was recognized on the All-Conference Carolinas First Team also after leading the Bobcats with 25 total points and scoring 10 goals in his sophomore season.

"I am incredibly proud to welcome Zach back to the men's soccer program here in Banner Elk," said Morton. "His experience as a student-athlete will help elevate our program from day one. Zach brings passion and energy to this role that will provide a positive impact on our student-athletes both on and off the field. I'm excited for the future of the Lees-McRae men's soccer program."

Aversano, who joined the Bobcats during the 2020 season, tallied six goals and six assists in 25 games played and was named to the All-Conference Carolinas First Team during his senior season, after finishing seventh in the conference in total points (16) during the season. In addition to his success on the field, Aversano also earned Chi Alpha Sigma status and garnered Conference Carolinas Presidential Honor Roll and D2 ADA Academic Achievement Award honors.

"I want to personally thank Coach Taylor Morton, Craig McPhail, and President Lee King for this opportunity to join the Lees-McRae men's soccer coaching staff," said Aversano. "I have enjoyed every minute of my time in Banner Elk and every chance that I have had on Tate Field, so I am excited to start working with these student-athletes this season and many more to come."

In addition to his success in Banner Elk and with Wofford College, an NCAA Division I men's soccer team he was a part of from 2017-20 (named to the 2017 SOCON All-Freshman Team at Wofford), Aversano also served as a Men's Soccer Camp Coach at the Wando, Lees-McRae, and Wofford camps from 2018-2022 and was a soccer player for the Asheville City Soccer Club in 2021. Aversano also served as a Men's Soccer Camp Coach at the Ralph Lundy Soccer Academy in South Carolina from 2017-22.