BANNER ELK, N.C. – Lees-McRae College Vice President for Athletics and Club Sports Craig McPhail has named Josh Bumgarner as the next head softball coach at Lees-McRae. Bumgarner comes to Banner Elk from Catawba Valley Community College where he was the first head coach in program history.
“In Josh, we found someone who wanted this job, his familiarity with the area and incredible success at Catawba Valley Community College in the past three years was significant,” said McPhail. “As Paul Johnson, President of Athletic Executive Services, and I talked about this position, Coach Bumgarner’s name came up often, his relentless desire to be a NCAA D2 coach showed when we talked and was further established when he visited campus.”
Bumgarner was tabbed CVCC’s inaugural head softball coach in 2019 where he compiled an overall record of 115-40 in four seasons in Hickory, North Carolina. In 2023, Bumgarner was named the Region X Coach of the Year and led the Red Hawks to a 44-8 record and Region X runner-up finish.
“I am extremely grateful and humbled to be given the opportunity to lead the softball program at Lees-McRae,” said Bumgarner. “I want to thank Craig McPhail for believing that I was the one for this job. I firmly believe God placed me here for a reason, and I feel very blessed to be a Bobcat. I will work extremely hard to make my players, the college, and community proud.”
Prior to CVCC, Bumgarner coached at East Alexander Middle School for six years and was named the first-ever head coach of the Taylorsville Post 170 American Legion Softball team in 2018. Bumgarner also served as the assistant softball coach at Alexander Central High School where he coached recent Lees-McRae graduate Julie Gast to a state championship in 2018.
Bumgarner earned his bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education from Appalachian State University with a concentration in History and a minor in Sociology. Bumgarner is also a teacher for Alexander County Schools.