HIAWASSEE – Everyone’s heart was Mountain Lion purple thanks to the infectious enthusiasm of Young Harris College Athletic Director Aaron Bessey when he visited the Sundance Grill on Friday, Aug. 1, with Associate Athletic Director for External Operations Madison Urquiola.
The Mountain Movers and Shakers enjoyed hearing about what was going on with the college’s athletic programs that morning – and even got a little competitive.
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Bessey opened the presentation with a game of trivia themed around YHC’s athletes and the department as a whole. Those who answered – or guessed – correctly won some Young Harris merchandise, including cups, flags, clothing and custom golf balls.
Questions included when YHC became an NCAA Division II college (15 years ago), how many foreign students were part of the athletics program (53), how many sports programs student athletes can choose from (19), and many others.
To educate the community, Bessey listed off all the options, noting that student athletes can dive into golf, lacrosse, baseball, basketball, volleyball, cross country, indoor and outdoor track, tennis, soccer and softball, keeping in mind that there are men’s and women’s divisions for most of those options.
Currently, Young Harris College has 450 athletes signed up for the 2025-2026 school year, coming out on top as the most the campus has ever had in one year. That means over 55% of the student body is involved in sports.
On that note, this past year was outstanding for several reasons: student GPAs reached record highs, as did their hours of community service; both basketball teams won over 20 games, marking a first in school history; and athletic fundraising was through the roof.
2025 also saw new turf soccer and lacrosse fields along with a practice court for basketball and volleyball. The tennis courts were also resurfaced, lending them new longevity. Additionally, this year’s department GPA was the highest ever for student athletes at 3.5.
“The biggest thing that I’m most proud of is the way that we kind of rebuilt and strengthened our culture at Young Harris, especially within athletics,” Bessey admitted. “You can tell that the student athletes, most importantly – but also our coaches and the staff – feel like we are just on this upward trajectory and we’re going places.”
That focus on culture is so important to Bessey, in fact, that athletes will begin following a new acronym, B.E.L.I.E.F., alluding to both the school’s Methodist faith as well as caring for the Body, embodying Excellence, stepping up to Leadership, practicing Integrity and Enthusiasm, and finding unity in Family.
With enrollment gradually climbing in recent years, numbers are returning to the rates they were at about eight to 10 years ago. Bessey attributes this to the free tuition recently opened to students in Union, Towns and Clay counties.
One thing that Bessey implored Movers and Shakers share with other members of the public is that Young Harris College has a profound impact on the local economy. It makes an approximately $21 million impact on the community annually, encompassing job opportunities at the college and encouraging commerce at local businesses with student visits.
“This area would not be what it is without Young Harris College; I think that’s a super important thing for people to realize,” Bessey said, emphasizing YHC’s unique position as a “high-functioning” Division II school in a rural area.
For that reason, Bessey ultimately wants to promote community involvement with the college. Interaction shouldn’t be limited to students and their families; with sports playing such a pivotal role in the lives of more than half the student body, coming out to watch games or pay for concessions would be a great way for folks to support the college.
But Bessey also knows that the same rules apply to students in the arts, sciences and other fields; even though he’s the athletic director, his hope is to see more support from residents coming out to see plays, visiting the planetarium, or checking out everything else YHC has to offer.
“We need you guys to attend,” Bessey said, reminding Movers and Shakers of upcoming fall sports as a good opportunity to start. “We fully, fully, fully believe that if you come to an athletic event, you are going to have a ball and are going to want to come back.”
This Friday, Aug. 8, the Movers and Shakers will welcome Roy Perren to their weekly breakfast meeting, starting at 8 a.m. Perren will be speaking on “Ride For the Brand,” discussing the “Cowboy Code” and what it means to 21st-century Americans.
