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Lander University

Lander University Athletics
 320 Stanley Ave. Greenwood, SC 29649
Division 2 South Carolina Southeast
Public Small National competitor
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Coaches

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Dale Parker

Dale Parker is entering his second season as head coach of the Lander Bearcat men's soccer team. Parker returned to Greenwood as the Head Coach in January 2023 after serving as the lead assistant from 2019 through 2021.


In his first season as head coach at Lander, Parker led the Bearcats to a 9-5-4 overall record and a 7-1-2 conference record. After a successful regular season, the Bearcats were tabbed as the No. 2 seed in the 2023 PBC tournament bracket. Lander went on to defeat the No. 3 seed North Georgia 3-0 in the semifinals before falling to the No. 1 seeded Clayton State 2-4 in the championship game.


Under Parker, the Bearcats received three PBC Player of the Week honors, two PBC Defender of the Week honors, and two Goalkeeper of the Week honors throughout the 2023 season. Lander also had four first-team players and one second-teamer on the 2023 All-Conference Team. Coach Parker's leadership also led to the addition of an All-American to his team in the form of forward Christian Hatley. Hatley was also selected to the D2CCA All-Southeast Region First Team and the United Soccer Coaches All-Southeast Region team alongside teammate Jed Smith.


Parker served under former head coach Lee Squires for three seasons before being named the head men's soccer coach at Lincoln Memorial in 2022.


After going 2-13-2 in 2021, Parker led the Railsplitters to a 10-8-1 record in 2022 that saw his squad advance to the South Atlantic Conference Championship game.


Under Parker, LMU saw Harry Cooke named to the D2CCA All-America team along with earning SAC Offensive Player of The Year honors while also being named the SAC Freshman of The Year. Three other Railsplitters were also named to the SAC All-Conference team last season.


While at Lander, Parker helped the Bearcats to a Peach Belt Regular Season Title (2021) and coached 10 Lander athletes to Peach Belt All-Conference honors including two PBC Freshman of the Year and one PBC Player of the Year honor. Parker was also part of the staff awarded United Soccer Coaches Regional Staff of the Year (2021).


Parker also serves as the head coach of the Appalachian Football Club in the National Premier Soccer League. In their inaugural season, he led the program to a third-place finish in the NPSL Southeast Conference, making it to the conference semi-finals in year one. In his second season (2022), Parker led his team to the Southeast Conference Regular Season title, Southeast Conference Tournament title and went on a run that ended in the National Quarter Final (Regional Final). Parker was awarded the Southeast Conference Coach of the Year, East Region Coach of the Year and NPSL National Coach of the Year honors.


A two-time All-American and three-year captain at Lees-McRae College, Parker helped the Bobcats capture three regular-season titles and advance to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament in 2007, last 16 in 2008 and the National Championship Game in 2009. Parker played 80 matches at Lees-McRae, including a stretch of 72 consecutive starts. In his final season as a Bobcat, Parker led his team to an appearance in the NCAA National Championship match in 2009. In 2022, Parker was inducted into the Lees-McRae College Athletics Hall of Fame for his contributions to the program as part of the 2009 team, and their NCAA Championship run.


Prior to arriving in Greenwood in 2019, Parker served as the Director of Coaching for Virginia Soccer Association and as a head coach for the Virginia Development Academy Program. He also worked as the Director of Coaching for Chesterfield United FC and as head coach for the club's women's pre-WPSL team.


Parker currently holds an A-License from the United States Soccer Federation, which is the highest level of coaching license one can receive in the U.S. The Worksop, England native also holds qualifications from the World Football Academy and The Football Association (England).

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Trey Morris

Trey Morris was named an assistant coach for Lander men's soccer in the summer of 2023.


Trey is a graduate of Appalachian State University and former Graduate Assistant Coach at Lincoln Memorial University. He is also an Assistant Coach at Appalachian FC under Head Coach Dale Parker.


Morris has also previously worked for Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC (USL Championship) and Appalachian FC as an intern.


Morris served as the Appalachian FC Assistant Coach in both US Open Cup games where they made it to the 2nd Round and fell to the Charlotte Independence. This summer Morris helped lead the program to a second-place finish in the NPSL Southeast Conference while advancing to the conference semifinal.


In the 2022 season with Lincoln Memorial University, Morris helped lead the Railsplitters to a 10-8-1 record after going 2-13-2 in 2021. Ultimately leading them to the SAC Championship game where they finished as the runners-up p in the SAC Tournament.


In the Summer of 2021, Morris worked for United Soccer League (USL) Championship club, Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC as the Team Operations intern. He served as the Away Team liaison for home games and assisted with compliance to scheduling. He worked closely with technical staff and players to ensure training ran smoothly and participated in daily coaches’ meetings to discuss players fitness levels and team operation needs. Morris partnered with the Assistant General Manager for planning/travel logistics such as scheduling player meals and buses to and from games. He also served as Player Liaison to assist with transportation both team related and personal errands, helping to assist with player’s needs, and building community within the team.


Morris played club soccer at Charlotte United FC (currently Charlotte Soccer Academy) and played three years of varsity soccer in high school and captaining his team in his senior year. Morris currently holds USSF D-Coaching License and is working towards a USSF C-Coaching License.

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Evan Rogers

Evan Rogers enters his fourth season as Lander's assistant men's soccer coach. Rogers was hired in August of 2020.


Prior to arriving in Greenwood, Rogers served as the head goalkeeper coach at USC Upstate and worked as a volunteer coach at Presbyterian. He has served as the goalkeeper coach for Christ Church and was the Furman United head coach for the ’04 and ’05 boys from the fall of 2016 through the spring of 2017. Rogers took over as the head coach for the ’00 boys in the fall of 2018.


Rogers has earned his Advanced National Goalkeeping license through the United Soccer Coaches Association. While at Presbyterian, Rogers coached a pair of goalkeepers to Big South Defensive Player of the Week honors three times over two seasons, both who made the Big South All-Tournament Team. Rogers' goalkeepers recorded 13 clean sheets in two seasons as the Blue Hose went to two Big South finals appearances and the first Big South Championship in school history, along with a trip to the NCAA Tournament.


Rogers, who has also served as the Director of Goalkeeping at Carolina FC, played collegiately at Spartanburg Methodist.

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