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Lenoir-Rhyne University Athletics

Gary Higgins

Profile B

  • Hired in January of 2015, Higgins is entering his seventh season as Head Women’s Soccer Coach
  • Holds the program record for most wins by a head coach and second in winning percentage
  • Two-time South Atlantic Conference Coach of the Year
  • Two South Atlantic Conference Regular Season Championships and one SAC Tournament Championship
  • Honorable Mention All-American as a player at Lenoir-Rhyne
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Record B

       Year: Overall, SAC (finish), Postseason
        2020-21: 9-1-1, 4-1-1 (N/A)
        2019: 15-4, 8-2 (1st), NCAA Tournament 
        2018: 11-6-1, 7-3 (t-2nd)
        2017: 11-5-2, 6-3-1 (5th)
        2016: 13-5-2, 8-2-1 (1st), NCAA Tournament
        2015: 12-4-2, 8-2-1 (t-3rd)
       TOTAL: 71-25-8, 41-13-1, two postseason bids

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Accolades B

  • NCAA Tournament appearances in 2016 and 2019
  • SAC Regular Season Championships in 2016 and 2019
  • SAC Tournament Championship in 2020-21 season
  • Selected as host of First and Second Round of the 2019 NCAA Tournament
  • Started 9-0 in 2019, the best start in program history
  • Ranked as high as No. 8 in the nation in 2019
  • Set the program record for longest home winning streak in 2019 with 11 straight wins
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Awards B
  • Coached three All-Americans (Abbie Brown ’18, Christina Shimshock ’19, Aqsa Mushtaq ’19)
  • 39 players have gone on to be selected to All-Conference team
  • 23 players have been selected to the All-Region team under Higgins
  • Coached one SAC Player of the Year (Mushtaq ’19) and one SAC Freshman of the Year (Abigael McGarel ‘2016)
  • Claire Neibergall was named SAC Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2018, just the second time an LR Women’s Soccer player won the award
  • Under Higgins, five players have been named Academic All-Americans
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  • Spent three years as an Assistant Coach at Tusculum from 2012-14

LineCareer B
  • Played four years on the men’s soccer team at Lenoir-Rhyne from 2006-09
  • Named Honorable Mention All-American by Daktronics in 2007
  • Was a two-time All-South Atlantic Conference and All-Region selection
  • Led the Bears to a 19-1-1 record in 2006 and a berth in the regional final of the NCAA Tournament
  • Played semi-professionally with the Reading (Pa.) Rage of the USL Premier Development League and the Knoxville Force of the NPSL
  • Led the Rage to the league semifinal in 2008 and was named the Team Most Valuable Player
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Personal B
  • Married to the former Klara Ledford
  • Has two daughters, Mirin (born in September of 2016) and Eilee (born in April of 2020)

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