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Offer a ChallengeThe Bobcat Club consists of alumni, parents, faculty, staff, coaches, and friends dedicated to the advancement of Bobcat Athletics. With your support, the Bobcat Club provides private financial assistance for Lees-McRae College Athletics through academic and athletic opportunities for our student-athletes. Gifts to the Bobcat Club also help fund athletic facility improvements and other capital needs for the athletic department.
Membership in the Bobcat Club exemplifies your commitment to Lees-McRae and to the student-athletes who strive to compete at the highest level possible.


Dear Bobcat Nation โ As we approach Thanksgiving, I want to share with you my annual gratitude list so you can see all of the moving parts required to make a successful intercollegiate athletics program. We have been blessed by interactions and support from many to make Lees-McRae athletics a vital asset to the college and Banner Elk. My thankfulness extends in various directions. Enjoy!
I wish all of you a Happy Thanksgiving, shared with deep gratitude for the blessings we have been given along with the appreciation for the roles we play. Hereโs to good food and fellowship! ![]() ![]() Best, Craig McPhail Vice President for Athletics and Club Sports |
Dear Bobcat Nation โ
Every week is filled with excitement. This past week was no exception.
And along with all the excitement comes the gratification of knowing we are making a difference!
We hosted Mountain Madness on Monday night to show our students and community what to expect from our basketball teams. It was a fun-filled evening for everyone.
There was a triple-header of games on Tuesday, as we hosted Conference Carolinas rival and Blue Ridge Cup opponent King University in soccer, while womenโs volleyball played a non-conference game. Both soccer teams got us wins along with critical BRC points! We also tailgated a bit different with a campfire and sโmores!
Wednesday was Mountain Day of Service and our students participated in service projects in the community. I took a group to Dobbins Road here in town to clean it for Western Youth Network. That evening, Erel Bardah, a freshman on our menโs volleyball team, spoke about what is happening in his home country of Israel.
Thursday and Friday our teams practiced and prepped for the Woolly Worm Festival. Both soccer teams and cross-country teams were on the road, while at home other teams manned parking lots on campus to help raise money for their programs.
Saturdayโs Conference Carolinas Cross Country Championships were held in Charlotte, North Carolina at McAlpine Park. It was a beautiful day for cross country with our Bobcats performing well. We had three individuals from each team make All-Conference. The men finished third overall and the women finished fourth. It was great to see their hard work result in successful accomplishments.
The impact we make on so many is clear to me. Iโm grateful for this opportunity to share with you all of what is happening in our athletics department.




Best,
Craig McPhail
Vice President for Athletics and Club Sports


Dear Bobcat Nation โ Family is everything.
We talk about it often in our athletic department. It is something we emphasize and try to emulate.
I witness it daily. Our coaches going to grab something to eat in The Summit together. Playing Noon Ball together on Tuesdays and Thursdays. A text thread of encouragement on wins and silver linings, makes us all feel proud.
The support we all share for each other comes from understanding how impactful the role we play on our young people has on them.
So, I share this moment with you. Thereโs a bench outside of the gym where I often sit to have meetings. It overlooks the athletic fields and mountain ranges, and even catches a fraction of Grandfather Mountain and a full view of Hanging Rock. This past week, the leaves on one side of the fields were as vibrant as I have ever seen them.
As I sat in the warm sun, gazing out into the distance thinking about the day, sporting events, Open House, and other things I needed my attention to be focused on, I saw a man walking on the field. He would walk a few steps, stop, look around, and keep going. I could tell it was something important as he continued to walk further onto the fields. His body language made me think this was a spiritual walk.
In walking back to his car in the front of the Williams Physical Education Center parking lot, I approached him. It was James Boyd who played football here in the late 80โs. His wife has been battling breast cancer and he needs a heart transplant. They came up to visit a place that had such a profound impact on him.
While talking, Rita Smith pulled up and the emotional hug/welcome they shared is why we do this! Seeing them reunite, catch up, and share stories further shows the family atmosphere we continue to exude.
If you have been a part of it, you know it. Try it and see for yourself how special this place is.
It will change your life!
Best, Craig McPhail Vice President for Athletics and Club Sports |



Dear Bobcat Nation โ
Wow!
This is what happens when so many of you return back to Lees-McRae College to celebrate this special place. Homecoming 2023 was epic.
This weekend was a beautiful intersection of weather, leaves, sports, bands, and reunions. It was so good to see you!
There was a packed Williams Gymnasium for two days of volleyball and Bobcat Bank was packed with the perfect mixture of tents, food, and people for soccer Saturday. I taste tested about every tent, having some Low Country boil, Bojangles, and jambalaya, all capped off with a snow cone from the Flave and Shave Truck!
We had alumni games for womenโs soccer and both basketball programs, while many others came back to check out the new construction on campus, see the newly acquired South Campus, and reminisce over the times spent in Banner Elk.
I am reminded often of the magnetic appeal this place has to so many. The nostalgia is amazing. Saturday morning before the full slate of activities, I met with an alum who had graduated over a decade ago. He lives in downtown Los Angeles and this was his first time back to campus. He was beaming as he spoke about what he does now and how we played a role in his success.
There are many of those stories. We can all share them as the bond Lees-McRae College has is unbreakable. Feel free to share your story as we build this place into something we all have immense pride in.
It was good to see you and please know you are all welcomed back anytime!
Thank you,
Craig McPhail
Vice President for Athletics and Club Sports
Dear Bobcat Nation โ Change is good. It produces all sorts of emotions. Our reaction and acceptance of those changes makes us who we are. This summer, I witnessed change. Coaches moved on to other opportunities, which in turn created opportunities for us as well. Staffing changes allow us to evaluate what is needed and wanted, and how to best serve our student-athletes (the customers/consumers). The process is never the same; however, the way we go about it does give us a chance to display who we are, what we are looking for, and who best fits our needs. Typically, I have a checklist for each hire. Each one has a distinct set ![]() ![]() of boxes I want to find in our next leader for the sport in question. We preach family. We share the fact we play basketball as a staff every Tuesday and Thursday, eat lunch often together in our dining hall, and celebrate birthdays, wins, etc. on a head coach text thread that brings us all closer together. This past week as I watched the changes on display, I felt good emotions knowing we selected the right coaches for our young people and their adventure here at Lees-McRae College. In my position, Iโm able to see the impact being made daily with the direct communication our coaches have in preparing the student-athletes for each dayโs practice, competition, and often life. These two photos are examples of what I mean: a crowded gym with our cheer team leading the Lees-McRazies during our home opener for womenโs volleyball and all eyes on our new tennis coach as he goes over a drill and the reason for doing it. There are wonderful things happening here. Letโs make a difference, together. Thank you, Craig McPhail Vice President for Athletics and Club Sports |
Watch as Josh Foley, a senior on the cycling team, shares how the Bobcat Club has contributed to his experience at Lees-McRae.
79 days ago by Craig McPhail
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Dear Bobcat Nation โ Can you believe weโre starting week three of classes? I canโt! Real games begin this week! A great fall preseason with a good rhythm to classes has everyone in a good groove. All of our other sports teams have started practice, giving the Fred I. Dickerson Athletic Complex a lot of action recently. This summer flew by as it seems to always do for me. We accomplished a lot during this time and we hope you recognize the improvements made when you visit. We have painted the press box and fencing and stained picnic benches at the tennis pavilion. There are new floor mats and decals featuring the branding partnership between our athletic department and Nike. We have added new faces with new head coaches in womenโs volleyball, softball, womenโs lacrosse, menโs and womenโs tennis, and swimming. The hiring process helped us identify those who want to guide our young people using our vision for intercollegiate athletics as an instrument of growth. Iโm excited to work with our coaches to build on our goals to use sportsmanship as a tool to further build character. When you are back on campus, or watching a game from our web-stream, take a look at how we continue to elevate the experience and, most importantly, the impact your gifts have made on us. Thank you! Best, Craig |
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Donors
View All DonorsTeams | Donors | Raised ($) |
---|---|---|
Soccer (Women's) | 9 | $1,950 |
Bobcat Club | 50 | $30,069 |
Basketball (Men's) | 6 | $7,850 |
Cycling | 8 | $1,220 |
Soccer (Men's) | 12 | $2,825 |
Cheerleading | 2 | $200 |
Track & Field (Men's) | 1 | $100 |
Cross Country (Women's) | 1 | $100 |
Dance Team | 2 | $5,000 |
Softball | 3 | $2,150 |
Swimming (Men's) | 6 | $5,350 |
Cross Country (Men's) | 0 | $0 |
Track & Field (Women's) | 0 | $0 |
Volleyball (Women's) | 3 | $1,125 |
Climbing | 0 | $0 |
Basketball (Women's) | 0 | $0 |
Swimming (Women's) | 4 | $1,000 |
Volleyball (Men's) | 2 | $1,300 |
Lacrosse (Men's) | 1 | $1,500 |
Lacrosse (Women's) | 0 | $0 |
Tennis (Men's) | 9 | $11,750 |
Ski & Snowboarding | 3 | $600 |
ESports | 0 | $0 |
Tennis (Women's) | 0 | $0 |










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