Young Harris College Athletics

Samantha Hurley begins her fourth season as the head coach of the Young Harris College women's lacrosse program.

Hurley led the Mountain Lions to their fourth consecutive Gulf South Conference regular season title in 2019. The team finished with an 11-7 record overall and a 7-1 record in the GSC. The 2019 Gulf South Coach of the Year had six players named to the All-GSC team including Co-Player of the year Erika Cross.

Hurley, who was named the 2018 GSC Coach of the Year, made an immediate impact for the Mountain Lions during the 2018 season. Young Harris, which had a program best eight players named to the All-Gulf South team, won its third consecutive GSC regular season and postseason titles as they won a program-record 14 matches. 

Young Harris also finished the year ranked fifth in the South region in the NCAA Division II regional rankings. It was the first time in the six-year history of the program that the Mountain Lions had been regionally ranked.

Hurley came to the Enchanted Valley after spending a year as an assistant coach at Mercer University, located in Macon, Georgia.

Hurley helped guide the NCAA Division I Bears to a 13-6 record in 2017 as they tied for third place in the Atlantic Sun Conference. The 13 wins also was the most in the program's short three-year history.

Hurley came to Mercer after spending three years as an assistant coach at Roanoke College. While at the Salem, Virginia, institution, Hurley's duties included skill instruction, practice and game planning/implementation, film analysis and recruiting.
  
Hurley was a four-year member of the women's lacrosse team at Lock Haven University in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania. She played both midfield and attack, helping Lock Haven to win two conference championships and earn three bids to the NCAA Division II Tournament. Hurley ended her career with nine goals and three assists for a total of 12 points. She also tallied 15 ground balls, 11 draw controls and eight caused turnovers in 30 games played.
 
Hurley graduated from Lock Haven in 2013 with her bachelor's degree in recreation management. She also earned a minor in psychology.