Lander University Women's Soccer

Chris Ayer completed his 20th season at the helm of the Lander Women’s Soccer program in 2025. As of the 2025 season, Ayer has a career coaching record of 201-165-42 (.544 winning percentage), including a record of 178-121-38 while at Lander (.585). The winningest coach in program history, Ayer has established a tradition of success at Lander, making 17 Peach Belt Conference Tournament appearances and three NCAA Tournament appearances (2018, 2024, 2025). He has also led the Bearcats to double-digit wins in nine different seasons (2007, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2018, 2021, 2023, 2025). This past season boasted the highest win total in program history (14 wins) and saw Lander make history by advancing to and hosting the NCAA Southeast Region Championship game for the first time. The Bearcats captured wins in the First and Second Rounds over No. 4 seed Francis Marion and No. 1 seed Catawba. Ayer also guided Lander to a second-place finish in the Peach Belt Conference regular season standings in 2025, the highest finish for the program since 2021. The Bearcats won eight PBC games, their highest total since 2013, before advancing to the conference semifinals for the ninth time in program history. The Bearcats finished 14-4-2, 8-1-1 in the PBC. Ayer captured the 200th win of his career in the NCAA Tournament First Round over Francis Marion in November 2025. 2024 marked a historic season for Lander under Ayer’s leadership as the program won its first NCAA Tournament game, topping No. 2 seed Lenoir-Rhyne 3-2 in double overtime in Hickory. Lander finished the season with a 9-4-5 overall record and appeared in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2018. During his time at Lander, Ayer has coached 14 players to the NSCAA All-Southeast Region Team, including Leah Hayes Coen, Kylie Wilson and Peyton Bibbee in 2025. Jamie Shaw was named an NSCAA All-American after the 2012 season. In addition to his impressive accolades at Lander, Ayer most recently served as the Head Coach of the Olympic Development Program (ODP) National Team 2010. Notably, Ayer coached the team to three wins in Costa Rica in April 2025. Ayer has also been part of the ODP Region III/South Region Staff since 2010 and holds a USSF "A" license and an NSCAA Premier Diploma. Ayer came to Lander from Coker, where he was the Head Women's Soccer Coach from 2002-2006, while concurrently serving as the Head Men's Soccer Coach from 2003-2006. A native of Columbia, South Carolina, Ayer earned his Bachelor's degree in Biology from Lipscomb University and played for the Bison's soccer team. Following his graduation from Lipscomb, he spent two years as an assistant coach for the Lipscomb men’s and women’s soccer teams while earning his Master's degree in Instructional Leadership. Ayer is married to the former Kristen Plummer of Nashville, Tennessee, and they have two children, Zach and Zoey. (Updated December 2025)

Jason Madvig was named assistant coach for the women's soccer team in August of 2022. Prior to coming to Lander Coach Madvig was the Director of Coaching Education for Total Football Club out of Houston, Texas where he worked with players, parents and coaching staff within the MLS Next and Texas state leagues. He was also a volunteer Assistant Coach at Sam Houston State University (Hunstsville, TX) from 2020 - 22 working primarily with return-to-play athletes and supporting functional/technical sessions for the defending moments of the game. Coach Madvig has also been a Head Coach for the South Texas Youth Soccer Association Olympic Development Program where he has worked with both the 2007 and 2009 girls pools over the last 4 years along with earning a spot as a Region Camp coach and being able to work with the top selections from the regional states. Madvig has also served within both the Houston Dynamo and Portland Timbers MLS organizations and their respective alliance clubs where he served as the Assistant to the Head of Performance Analysis (Houston) and as a Staff Coach for the Regional Training Center (Portland). In these capacities he was given the tasks of opposition analysis of MLS league and U.S. Open Cup matches along with training and mentoring players on the Ways of the Portland Timbers Academy.  Coach Madvig served as an Assistant Coach for the Clark College (WA) men's program from 2015 - 2017 working alongside MLS Cup winning coach, Brett Jacobs. Under their lead the program were Northwest Athletic Conference Champions and Finalists those 2 years, giving Madvig the opportunity to lead the team in a friendly match versus the New Zealand U17 Men's National Team and serve as the Lead Coach in the NWAC 2016 All-Star Game.  Prior to these two postings, Madvig was a high school coach for a girl's division 1 program (Mesquite HS, Gilbert, AZ) and a boy's division 2 program (Apache Junction HS, Apache Junction, AZ). While serving in these roles he was a business owner of Soccer Shots franchise where he ran a 'fundamentals of soccer' program for children ages 2 - 6 years old and was a club coach working in the capacity has head coach and Youth Academy Director. As a club coach his teams have won 1 President's Cup (OR) and been Finalists twice (AZ and TX). He holds a Masters of Coaching Education from Ohio University as well as a United States Soccer Federation 'A' License. 

It didn't take long for Van Taylor's influence to be felt a tLander. Beginning with his first season on the then-Senator sidelines in1985, Taylor guided the five-year-old Lander program to second place in NAIA District 6 and its second winning season(14-4-1). Taylor, a 1975 graduate of Erskine College, received a bachelor's degree in health and physical education and earned NAIA All-District 6 and NCAA All-American honors in 1975. He wasi nducted into the Erskine Hall of Fame in 1982. He received his master's degree in education from Lander in 1990and his Certification in Administration and Supervision from Clemson University in 2003. In 28 seasons at Lander, Taylor has amassed an overall372-152-30 record (.698 winning percentage). The 2005 team won the NCAA Division II Southeast Region championship, while the 2001 teamfinished No. 6 in the country when it posted a 17-4 campaign and reached the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division II national tournament. Taylor led Lander to its first of three NAIA District 6championships in 1987 (15-4-1). The then-Senators also won District6 titles in 1990 (20-5) and 1991 (21-3-1). In 1990, the Senators won the NAIA Area 9 championship and advanced to the NAIA National Tournament where they placed third.The Senators won the Nels Dahlquist Sportsmanship Trophy at the tournament. Since joining the NCAA, Lander has won Peach Belt regular-seasontitles in 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 2006, 2010 and 2012; and PBCtournament championships in 1991, 1996 and 2009. In 1996, the Senators were ranked as high as No. 2 in the country and earned aberth in the national tournament. Taylor was named the PBC Coach of the Year in 1991, 1995 and2012, and the NCAA Southeast Region Coach of the Year in 1995, 2001and 2005. He was voted NAIA District 6 Coach of the Year in 1985,'90 and '91, and NAIA Area 9 Coach of the Year in 1990. In 1975, Taylor was a first-round draft choice for the New YorkC osmos of the NASL. Taylor was traded to the Miami Toros in 1976where he played for three seasons while earning runner up honors forRookie of the Year. He was later traded to the Columbus Magic of the ASL in 1979. He finished his playing career with the Phoenix Inferno of the MISL (1980-84). As a prep at West Essex High School in North Caldwell, N.J.,Taylor was a Parade Magazine All-American and was inducted into theWest Essex Hall of Fame in 1991. Taylor earned the Union of European Football Association (UEFA)"A" license in 1998 and added the UEFA Pro License in 2004. He alsoholds the NSCAA's Advance National Goalkeeping Diploma and PremierDiploma. A USSF "A" and National Youth licensed coach. Taylor is aU.S. Soccer Federation (USSF) staff coach and instructor and servesas a Region III staff coach for the U.S. Youth Soccer Association(USYSA).