Elon University

Elon University Athletics
2500 Campus Box - 104 E. Haggard Ave. Elon, NC 27244

Division 1 North Carolina Southeast

Private Medium National competitor

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Coaches

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Neil Payne

Neil Payne will be in his fifth season as Elon's head women's soccer coach in fall 2022. Payne was named the eighth head coach in Elon women's soccer program history on Feb. 24, 2018.

Last season, Payne guided the maroon and gold to a 9-6-2 record, including a pair of overtime victories against Northeastern (2-1) and a #23/25 Hofstra (2-1). For their performance during the regular season, Kayla Hodges, Carson Jones and Makenzie DePriest-Kessler were tabbed all-conference honorees. Hodges was a first-team selection, Jones was second team and DePriest-Kessler was third team.

During the historic spring 2021 season, Payne guided the Phoenix to its first-ever Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Championship title and second appearance in the NCAA Division I Championship. Entering the CAA Championship as the No. 2 seed in the South Division with a 4-3 regular-season record, Elon first defeated the nationally-ranked top seed in the North Division, Hofstra, for the first time in program history (1-0). The maroon and gold then went on to outlast UNCW in the finals (1-0) to earn the championship crown. Over the course of the season, the Phoenix registered six shutouts, with four of them coming against conference opponents (Charleston, William & Mary, Hofstra and UNCW). Elon's backline also held both the Dukes and Cougars to no shots on goal. Four players earned all-conference honors for their performances in the regular season, Jones (second team), Hodges (second team), DePriest-Kessler (third team) and Katie Lowe (all-rookie team).

In his second season with the Phoenix, Payne led the team to a 12-6-2 overall record, including a 5-3-1 record in conference play. Under Payne's guidance, Elon saw a nine win improvement from the 2018 season. During the season, Elon defeated James Madison (3-2) for its first win over the Dukes in program history. The Phoenix's strong performance throughout the season led to a fifth place finish in the CAA regular season standings and the first berth to the CAA Tournament in program history. In postseason play, Elon earned its first win in the CAA Tournament in program history after taking down Northeastern (2-1) in the opening round. Payne also led the Phoenix to a season in which it made its most goals since 2013 (42), including 11 games with at least two goals. In 2019, Payne coached three All-CAA performers and placed 28 athletes on the CAA Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll. The Phoenix continued to excel in the classroom in Payne's second season as well, earning a program record GPA of 3.69 for the 2019-20 academic year.

During his first season at Elon in 2018, Payne coached two All-CAA players and led a Phoenix program that put together a 3.54 team grade point average in the fall semester. Additionally, the team made just its second global experience trip in program history during March of 2019 with a week-long trip to Costa Rica.

Since joining the Phoenix program, Payne has had players succeed both on the field and in the classroom. Nine players have earned All-CAA recognition, while 54 players have been placed on the CAA Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll since he began.

Neil arrived at Elon as a seasoned coach with over two decades of success at both the collegiate and club levels. Prior to Elon, Payne spent three seasons at Texas Tech as the associate head coach, playing an integral part in back-to-back NCAA bids, highlighted by a banner season that saw the Red Raiders win their first Big 12 Championship. Texas Tech earned top-25 rankings twice over the last three seasons and 10 players earned All-Big 12 distinction. Over three years, Texas Tech had 42 players earn Academic All-Big 12 honors, as well.

Prior to his tenure at Texas Tech, Payne spent 13 years as the Technical Director for Real Colorado, one of the premier girls youth soccer clubs in the country. During his tenure in Colorado, Payne helped produce hundreds of collegiate players. Under Payne's leadership, Real's impressive player development record also involved 38 players gaining U.S. Youth National Team experience including standout Mallory Pugh (U.S. Women's National Team).

In Payne's final nine years with Real Colorado, he won the United States Youth Soccer Association (USYSA) National Title and eight of his teams qualified for the national finals in the Elite Clubs National League (ECNL) and U.S. Soccer Academy League. The Real Colorado girls program earned three top 10 national rankings, including No. 5 in the ECNL in 2014. The club sent over 450 players to the college level during his tenure while winning 44 state cups and seven regional championships.

Prior to his time at Real Colorado, Payne also spent four seasons as an assistant coach at his alma mater, Coastal Carolina. The Chanticleers claimed back-to-back Big South regular season titles in his final two years thanks to a 23-9-2 record during that span.

Payne remains one of the top players in Coastal Carolina history (1992-95) as his 123 career points ranks third all-time in the school record book, while his 46 goals and 31 assists both stand at fourth. He made two NCAA appearances, was an All-American candidate and a two-time First Team South Region honoree. Payne was captain of the Chanticleers for three years of his tenure, earning Big South MVP in 1995 on their way to the conference title. He graduated from Coastal Carolina in 1996 with a degree in business management.

From 1996-98, Payne was a professional soccer player in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and captained the team to a league championship in 1997.

Payne holds a USSF A-Senior License.

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Olivia Mills

Olivia Mills will be entering her third season as an assistant coach with the Elon women's soccer coaching staff in fall 2021. She works primarily with the Phoenix goalkeeping and defensive units.

Last season, Mills helped guide the maroon and gold to a 9-6-2 record, including a pair of overtime victories against Northeastern (2-1) and a #23/25 Hofstra (2-1). For their performance during the regular season, Kayla Hodges, Carson Jones and Makenzie DePriest-Kessler were tabbed all-conference honorees. Hodges was a first-team selection, Jones was second team and DePriest-Kessler was third team.

During the historic spring 2021 season, Mills assisted in leading the Phoenix to its first-ever Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Championship title and second appearance in the NCAA Division I Championship. Entering the CAA Championship as the No. 2 seed in the South Division with a 4-3 regular-season record, Elon first defeated the nationally-ranked top seed in the North Division, Hofstra, for the first time in program history (1-0). The maroon and gold then went on to outlast UNCW in the finals (1-0) to earn the championship crown. Over the course of the season, the Phoenix registered six shutouts, with four of them coming against conference opponents (Charleston, William & Mary, Hofstra and UNCW). Elon's backline also held both the Dukes and Cougars to no shots on goal. Four players earned all-conference honors for their performances in the regular season, Carson Jones (second team), Kayla Hodges (second team), Makenzie DePriest-Kessler (third team) and Katie Lowe (all-rookie team).

In her first season with the Phoenix, Mills helped guide the program to a 12-6-2 overall record, including a 5-3-1 record in conference play. During the season, Elon defeated James Madison (3-2) for its first win over the Dukes in program history. The Phoenix's strong performance throughout the season led to a fifth place finish in the CAA regular season standing and the first berth to the CAA Tournament in program history. In postseason play, Elon earned its first win in the CAA Tournament in program history after taking down Northeastern (2-1) in the opening round. Mills helped lead the Phoenix's goalkeepers to a season in which they made 75 total saves, including seven games with at least five saves. Under Mills guidance, Elon's goalkeepers earned four shutout victories over Canisius, High Point, UNC Asheville and Hampton respectively. The Phoenix also excelled in the classroom in Mills's first season, earning a program record cumulative GPA of 3.69 for the 2019-20 academic year.

Prior to her time at Elon, Mills was an assistant coach for two seasons with the Campbell women’s soccer program. Mills was involved in all areas of recruiting, field instruction and administrative tasks, as well as working specifically with the goalkeepers and CU’s sport science initiatives.

Mills helped train the Camels' goalkeeping unit over two seasons in 2017 and 2018. Under her direction in 2017, the goalkeepers on conceded a combined 18 goals, the fewest in program history since 1995. Campbell's goalkeepers Erin Scott and Natalya Marcove posted a combined goals-against-average of 0.93, which finished the season ranked second in the Big South. Scott developed into one of the conference's best keepers under the direction of Mills. She allowed just 17 goals in 1495 minutes between the sticks for a GAA of 1.02, the fourth-best in program history. Scott notched six solo shutouts on the season, which also ranks fourth in Campbell women's soccer history. Additionally, Mills played a key role in the Camels' strength and conditioning, leading warmups at practices and at away matches.

Before joining the Campbell coaching staff, Mills served as an assistant coach at Troy University for one season in 2016. Under her guidance, the Troy goalkeepers only allowed 22 goals on the season, posting a 1.05 GAA. Mikki Lewis had a stellar 2016 season, posting seven shutouts, a 1.08 GAA, which is the fourth-best in program history, and notching 65 saves. In addition, Mills developed and facilitated the 13-week offseason strength program, mobility and muscular regeneration recovery sessions and weekly on-field lifting sessions.

Mills began her coaching career in 2015 at Stetson, where she served as an assistant coach. She worked with the Hatters’ goalkeepers, as well as working closely with the staff to design and facilitate all aspects of team training. Under her tutelage, the goalkeepers posted a 1.99 GAA and notched 92 saves. Mills also helped to develop physiological initiatives for the program, including heart rate monitor application and data analysis, nutrition oversight and facilitation of strength and conditioning and recovery sessions.Prior to arriving in DeLand, Fla., Mills spent the summer of 2015 as a strength and conditioning intern at Colorado State, where she developed and executed the summer strength and conditioning program for the Rams football program.

She graduated from Valdosta State in 2015 with a degree in Exercise Physiology. Mills spent four seasons as a team-captain in goal with the Blazers, and helped to lead VSU to the 2014 Gulf South Conference championship and a No. 23 overall ranking, as well as three consecutive NCAA Division II Tournament appearances from 2012-14. She earned all-conference honors on three occasions, all-region honors following her senior season, and was named to the Gulf South’s all-academic team in 2012, 2014 and 2015.

Mills has applied her exercise science degree to good use since graduating from VSU, earning multiple certifications. She has earned the USA Weightlifting Certification, is an American College of Sports Medicine Certified Exercise Physiologist, and is currently working towards her USSF D License.

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Taylor Culp

Taylor Culp will be entering his second season as an assistant coach with the Elon University women's soccer team in fall 2021, working mainly with the goalkeepers under head coach Neil Payne. He previously served as a volunteer assistant coach on the Elon men's soccer staff from August 2019-20.

Last season, Culp helped guide the maroon and gold to a 9-6-2 record, including a pair of overtime victories against Northeastern (2-1) and a #23/25 Hofstra (2-1). For their performance during the regular season, Kayla Hodges, Carson Jones and Makenzie DePriest-Kessler were tabbed all-conference honorees. Hodges was a first-team selection, Jones was second team and DePriest-Kessler was third team.

During the historic spring 2021 season, Culp assisted in leading the Phoenix to its first-ever Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Championship title and second appearance in the NCAA Division I Championship. Entering the CAA Championship as the No. 2 seed in the South Division with a 4-3 regular-season record, Elon first defeated the nationally-ranked top seed in the North Division, Hofstra, for the first time in program history (1-0). The maroon and gold then went on to outlast UNCW in the finals (1-0) to earn the championship crown. Over the course of the season, the Phoenix registered six shutouts, with four of them coming against conference opponents (Charleston, William & Mary, Hofstra and UNCW). Elon's backline also held both the Dukes and Cougars to no shots on goal. Four players earned all-conference honors for their performances in the regular season, Carson Jones (second team), Kayla Hodges (second team), Makenzie DePriest-Kessler (third team) and Katie Lowe (all-rookie team). Goalkeeper McKenna Dalfonso (6-4) also led the conference in save percentage (.842), goals-against average (.491) and shutouts (6).

Prior to Elon, Culp served as the goalkeeper coach with the Penn women's soccer team in 2018. While with the Quakers, Culp helped the team's goalkeeper unit ranked first in the country in goals-against average, clean sheet percentage and save percentage. The starting goalkeeper was also named the Ivy League's Goalkeeper of the Year and was a second team All-Region choice under his tutelage as Penn won the 2018 Ivy League championship.

Culp also served as the goalkeeper's coach at the College of Mount Saint Vincent in Bronx, N.Y., during the spring of 2018. Additionally, he has held similar posts at the United Soccer Academy and Matchfit Academy.

On the field, Culp helped lead Saint Joseph's High School in Metuchen, N.J. to back-to-back state championship appearances, before attending the University of Massachusetts Amherst. In 2016, he made his move to Montclair State, in which he helped the Red Hawks to the NJAC championship and reached the NCAA Tournament for the 11th straight season.

At the club level, Culp currently serves as the director of goalkeeping at NC Fusion ECNL in Greensboro, N.C.

A native of Piscataway, N.J., Culp graduated from Montclair State University with a Bachelor of Arts in psychology.