Lee Squires enters his eighth season as head coach of the Lander program. Squires became the Bearcats’ fifth head men's soccer coach when he was hired in January 2015.
Under Squires' guidance, Lander has accumulated a 101-29-18 overall record. In his eight seasons, the Bearcats have made seven appearances in the Peach Belt Conference Tournament championship, have advanced to the NCAA Tournament five times, and have played for the NCAA Southeast Regional championship twice.
2022 saw the Bearcats go 12-3-6 overall and 8-1-3 in the PBC. The Bearcats returned to the national top 20, reaching No. 12 in the country. Squires led the Blue and Gold to its first PBC regular season title since the spring 2020 season and first PBC Tournament Title since 2017 with a 1-0 victory over Flagler at Van Taylor Stadium. The Bearcats made their return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2018 where it defeated Tampa in the first round 2-1 before falling to the No. 1 seed Florida Tech 4-2 in a shootout.
Under Squires, Marco Gueli was named to the United Soccer Coached All-Scholar First Team as well as the Div. II National Scholar Athlete of The Year. Gueli was also named to the United Soccer Coaches All-American Team with teammate Jed Smith,
Squires also saw a pair of Bearcats named Academic All-Americans from the College Sport Communicators (Formerly CoSIDA). Alistair Danjon and Gueli were both named Academic All-Americans.
For the fourth time since becoming the coach of Lander, Squires was named PBC Coach of The Year. Squires also saw eight Bearcats named to the All-PBC Team. In Squires' eight seasons he had at least four players named to the All-PBC team every year.
Squires departed December 14 to take the head coaching job at Div. I Georgia Southern
The Bearcats went 11-8-0 and 7-5-0 in the PBC in 2021. Tom Marriott and Max McNulty were named CoSIDA All-District and All-Americans, the first two such honors for the men's soccer program. Marriott was also named the PBC co-Player of the Year and became Lander's first back-to-back winner of the award since 2008-09. Marriott became just the fourth player in the history of the PBC to repeat as Player of The Year. Four players were named to the All-PBC team, a feat Squires has produced the last seven seasons while leading the Bearcats. Lander advanced to the PBC semifinals where it fell 2-0 to Clayton State.
The 2020 season saw the Bearcats go 8-0-1 and post the first undefeated regular season in program history. Lander was ranked as high as third in the United Soccer Coached poll, with the Blue and Gold finishing the year as the No. 5 team in the country. Seven Bearcats were named all-PBC, which included Player of The Year Tom Marriott and Freshman of The Year Marco Gueli. For the third time since coming to Greenwood, Squires was named the PBC Coach of The Year.
In 2019, the Bearcats compiled a 12-5-2 record and made their fifth consecutive appearance in the Peach Belt Conference Tournament championship match. Lander achieved the highest ranking in program history, climbing to No. 2 in the United Soccer Coaches poll. Four players were named all-PBC, including co-Freshman of the Year Max Bolton, while Robbie Young earned D2CCA first-team all-Southeast Region honors.
Squires' 2018 club notched a 16-2-3 overall record, the most wins for the Bearcats since 2006. Lander returned to the Peach Belt Conference Tournament title match for the fourth consecutive season and earned the No. 2 seed in the Southeast Region, hosting the program's first NCAA Tournament match since 2013. The Bearcats advanced to the Southeast Regional championship and toppled unbeaten and top-ranked Young Harris for the program's first region title in 13 years, earning a berth in the NCAA Tournament quarterfinals. Lander posted shutouts in 16 of its 21 matches, including nine consecutive matches where the Bearcats held opponents scoreless for 942:26, the longest streak in program history. Six Bearcats earned all-PBC honors, while five different players were named all-region performers. Senior Jordan Skelton was named an All-American for the second consecutive season by the United Soccer Coaches and the Division II Conference Commissioners Association. Lander ended the season with a No. 5 national ranking.
The 2017 team went 13-4-3 overall and won its second consecutive Peach Belt Conference championship with an unbeaten 6-0-1 record in conference play, extending its undefeated streak in conference play to 19 consecutive matches. As the top seed in the PBC Tournament, Lander claimed its first title since 2012 with a penalty kick victory over North Georgia. The Bearcats earned the No. 3 seed in the NCAA Southeast Regional and advanced to the regional championship, upsetting defending national champion Wingate on the road in the second round of the tournament. Lander placed six players on all-PBC teams, four players on all-region squads and Jordan Skelton was tabbed as an All-American by two different organizations. Squires claimed his second straight PBC Coach of the Year award and Thibault Chretien earned co-Freshman of the Year honors from the PBC.
In 2016, Lander finished with a 14-4-1 record, giving the program back-to-back seasons with at least 14 wins for the first time since 2006-07. The Bearcats became just the third team in PBC history to go undefeated in conference play. Lander advanced to the PBC Tournament championship match for the second consecutive season and earned the No. 5 seed in the NCAA Southeast Regional. Seven Bearcats earned all-PBC honors, four were placed on all-region teams and Hugo Delhommelle was named an NSCAA All-American. Squires was tabbed as the PBC Coach of the Year, while Dean Cowdroy was the PBC Freshman of the Year.
In his first season at Lander, Squires led the Bearcats to a 14-3-2 overall record and a berth in the NCAA Tournament. Lander opened the season with 10 consecutive victories, the second-best start in program history. The Bearcats climbed as high as No. 13 in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America poll. Lander reached the Peach Belt Conference Tournament championship match for the first time since 2009 and made the NCAA Tournament for the third time in four seasons. The Bearcats placed three players on the PBC All-Conference first team and Hugo Delhommelle was named the PBC Freshman of the Year.
Squires, a native of Sheffield, England who began coaching at Lees-McRae at the age of 23, is also an LMC graduate and played four seasons for the Bobcats. He earned his bachelor's degree in business administration and was a member of the Sigma Beta Delta Business Honors Society.
As the LMC head coach, he posted an overall 40-29-7 record during his four seasons for a .572 winning percentage. The Bobcats were 13-5-2 in 2014 and reached the Conference Carolinas Tournament championship game. During the year, LMC upset nationally-ranked No. 12 Lander and No. 10 Limestone. His 2011 team reached the NCAA Division II national tournament.
Since 2011, Squires has also served as the assistant coach for the North Carolina Olympic Development Program and was the head coach for the 2011 HSA Force '98 in Premier UK Soccer.
The Conference Carolinas Player of the Year in 2008 and 2010, Squires was an NSCAA All-American in 2007 and 2008, and a Daktronics All-American in 2007, 2008 and 2010. He was also named the conference tournament MVP in 2007 and was selected to the conference all-tournament team in 2008 and 2010. He earned Academic All-Conference honors in 2011 and 2012.
During his career at LMC, Squires, who was the Most Outstanding Offensive Player in the 2007 and 2009 NCAA Division II Southeast Regional Tournament, set single-season school records goals scored (25) points (54) and game-winners (nine). He is the Bobcats' all-time leading scorer in goals (67), points scored (149) and game-winners (22).
He played for the United Soccer League's Premier Development League, representing the Ocean City Nor'eaters in 2008 and the SC United Bantams in 2012.
Squires is married to the former Sadie Williams and they have a daughter Isabelle; as well as a son, William.
