Lees-McRae College

Lees-McRae College Dept of Athletics
191 Main Street or P.O. Box 128 Banner Elk, NC 28604

Division 2 North Carolina Southeast

Private Very Small Developing team

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Coaches

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Josh Bumgarner

Josh Bumgarner was named the Head Softball Coach at Lees-McRae College in August 2023 after a successful stint at Catawba Valley Community College where he was the first head coach in program history.

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.

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Madison Keefer

Madison Keefer joins Bumgarner's staff after four years of playing collegiate softball at Columbia College and Southern Wesleyan University. Keefer graduated from Columbia College in Columbia, South Carolina with a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice in 2022. Keefer was named to the Appalachian Athletic Conference All-Academic Team during her junior year at Columbia while being part of the first team in program history to make it to the AAC Softball Tournament.

Keefer recently served as an Insurance & Investigative Professional at Poulin Wiley Anastopoulo Law Firm in South Carolina.

"I am grateful to be given this opportunity to start my coaching career here at Lees-McRae," said Keefer. "I love everything about this school and the welcoming atmosphere I have received. I am excited to work with such an amazing group of girls and have the pleasure of coaching alongside Coach Josh Bumgarner. I am ready to get to work! Go Bobcats!"