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Cox. “The Mountain Lions look forward to
competing against some of the best studentathletes
in Division II athletics.”
In 2010, President Cox brought in
Director of Athletics Randy Dunn, who
transitioned North Georgia from NAIA
to NCAA Division II and Peach Belt
Conference membership prior to arriving
at YHC. Under Dunn’s leadership, Young
Harris College also reinstated its men’s
basketball program and established a
women’s intercollegiate basketball program
in 2010 and announced the addition of
men’s and women’s lacrosse and competitive
cheerleading for 2012-2013.
Currently, the Mountain Lions field men’s
and women’s basketball, baseball, softball,
men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and
women’s golf, men’s and women’s soccer
and men’s and women’s tennis, all of which
are PBC Championship sports.
“We are extremely honored to be given
the opportunity to join the Peach Belt
Conference, which is comprised of such
an elite group of institutions,” said Dunn.
“Not only will this provide our studentathletes
with the opportunity to compete at
the highest levels of NCAA DII, it will also
give our institution regional and national
exposure.”
Founded in 1991, the Peach Belt
Conference is home to 30 NCAA Division
II National Championships, including
the 2011 women’s basketball title won by
Clayton State University. The addition of
Young Harris College brings the number
of member institutions to its highest in the
conference’s 21-year history.
Basketball Season
Brings great success for mountain lions
The 2011-2012 season ended on a
high note for both the Young Harris
College men’s and
women’s basketball
teams.
The women’s team
finished their season
on a 10-game win
streak as they went
23-3, an 11-game
improvement over
last year’s 11-13
record.
Young Harris was
led by sophomore
Ladondra Johnson,
of Athens, as she
averaged 17.2 points
and 8.2 rebounds
for the Mountain
Lions, who had seven
different players on
Ladondra Johnson
roster that averaged at
least five points a game. Sophomore
Lauren Smith, of Colbert, nearly
averaged in double figures as she
scored 9.8 points a game while
dishing out 150 assists.
“It was gratifying to see the success
of our young ladies,” said Women’s
Basketball Head Coach Brenda Paul.
“Their effort in preparing for the
season and their continued effort
and intensity in each game showed
maturity beyond their years.”
The men’s team completed their
season with a six-game win streak
as they finished at 22-4, which was
a 17-game improvement over last
season’s 5-21 mark.
The Mountain Lions, who also
reeled off a 12-game win streak
midway through the season, had
five players who averaged double
figures per game—sophomore Frank
Adams (20.5), of Stone Mountain,
sophomore Vince Martin (16.8), of
Marietta, junior Malcolm
Jackson (14.4), of Atlanta,
sophomore Steve Viterbo
(12.0), of Melbourne,
Australia, and sophomore
Bryson Robertson (11.5),
of Elberton. Adams also
became the College’s
first 1,000-point scorer
in the modern era this
season—he currently
has scored 1,097 points
in his two seasons with
the Mountain Lions—
and was named to the
Georgia Basketball
Coaches Association’s
NCAA Division II All-
State first team. Martin
was named to the second
team, while teammates
Jackson, Robertson and Viterbo were
honorable mention selections.
“This has been a remarkable
season,” said
Men’s Basketball
Head Coach Pete
Herrmann, who was
also honored as coach
of the year by the
Association. “This
team has set the bar
for the future with the
number of wins and
losses.”
The Mountain
Lions, who are gearing
up for candidacy year
two of their move to
NCAA Division II, will
play in the Peach Belt
Conference this fall.
Frank Adams
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