EMORY, Va. – Emory & Henry College director of athletics Anne Crutchfield has announced the hiring of Ashlee Cole as the next Head Cheer & Dance Coach. She will officially begin her duties on July 1.

"We are excited to welcome Ashlee Cole to the Emory & Henry family," said Crutchfield. "Her extensive experience in both cheer and dance as well as her passion for working with student-athletes will certainly help elevate our teams to the next level. Our programs have experienced tremendous growth over the last few seasons and we look forward to seeing them reach new heights under Coach Cole's leadership."

Cole joins the E&H staff after spending the past three and a half years as the spirit squad coordinator at McPherson College in McPherson, Kansas. She was responsible for all aspects of the program including recruiting, academic success, event coordination and community outreach. She was named the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference Coach of the Year for the 2019-20 season.

"When I stepped on campus I was overwhelmed with the beauty and the family feel," commented Cole. "Emory & Henry has a wonderful reputation and it's our job to be ambassadors for the College, and to perpetuate that reputation in the community."

Prior to her time at McPherson, Cole was the Head Cheer Coach at Central Christian College of Kansas, also in McPherson, from August 2016 to February 2018. She served as an Admission Counselor at Sterling College in Sterling, Kansas for the 2014-15 and 2015-16 recruiting cycles.

"I believe that a dynamic cheer & dance program hits on sideline as well as competitive," added Cole. "Sideline is important because that is what is seen by alumni and family, but the competitive cheer side is what I think most athletes are looking for. They want that opportunity to show what they can do. The foundation has been laid and, I think we have a great opportunity now with a team that has done well to get our name out there and represent the College in competition."

As an undergraduate, Cole was a four-year member of the Tabor College competitive cheerleading program. While with the Bluejays, she helped lead the squad to a second-place finish in the KCAC Invitational Championship in 2012.

Cole completed her Bachelor of Arts Degree in psychology from Tabor in 2015. She also holds a Spirit Safety Certification from USA Cheer and the NFHS.

---E&H---