Tom Gott Elevated To Lenoir_Rhyne Men’s Soccer Head Coach

Hickory, N.C. - The Lenoir-Rhyne University men's soccer program has announced several changes to its coaching staff, Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Neill McGeachy said today.

Tom Gott, the Bears' assistant coach for the past three years, has been elevated to Head Coach. Gott replaces L-R Director of Soccer Adrian Blewitt, who will coach the Lenoir-Rhyne women's soccer team solely but will retain the title of director.

Gott played one year as a goalkeeper with the Bears in 2005, leading the squad to a then-school-record 13 wins while posting a 0.86 goals-against average and seven shutouts.

Gott is a native of Watford, England, and had an outstanding career playing for the Wycombe Wanderers Football Club and the Hertfordshire County Selected Squad. Gott also has his UEFA B Preliminary Coaching License.

Blewitt became L-R's Director of Soccer in November of 2006 and was the head coach of both squads for the past two seasons. Blewitt took over a women's team that won three games in 2006 and has guided the program to a 20-16-5 mark including a 13-6-2 record this year. The Bears' 13 wins are the second-best mark in school single-season history.

Blewitt finishes his career as Lenoir-Rhyne's head men's soccer coach with a record of 54-23-4 in four years at the helm. His best season came in 2006, when the squad finished with a 19-1-1 mark and a No. 5 national ranking while winning the Food Lion SAC Tournament and advancing to the NCAA Division II South Atlantic Regional Finals.

The L-R men's soccer team went 9-9-1 this year and advanced to the semifinals of the league tournament.

"I feel my four years as both a player and coach here at Lenoir-Rhyne have prepared me for this exciting next step in my coaching career," said Gott. "I'd like to thank Coach (Adrian) Blewitt for his guidance throughout the previous four years and Mr. (Neill) McGeachy for giving me this fantastic opportunity. I look forward to working with the current players and will be working diligently in preparing for the Fall 2009 season."

"I am very proud of where we have taken the Lenoir-Rhyne men's program and how quickly we have achieved it," said Blewitt. "The accomplishments and experiences from the 2006 season in particular will forever remain the highlight of my four years. It's time for some new energy and new perspective on the men's side and Tom (Gott) is definitely the man to bring this. I now look forward to spending some time with my family and making the L-R women's soccer team the best it can be."