University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Bella LaCasto Promoted to Associate Head Coach for UNC Asheville Women's Soccer
02.26.2025 | Women's Soccer
ASHEVILLE, N.C. - Bella LaCasto has been promoted to Associate Head Coach for UNC Asheville Women's Soccer, announced today (date) by head coach Andy McNab. Â
In her fourth season in 2024, LaCasto helped the program to four wins and the program's first berth in the Big South Conference Tournament since 2016, earning the No. 6 seed on the final day of the regular season with a 1-0 win at Charleston Southern. Freshman Mercedes McNabb earned Offensive Player of the Week honors on Sept. 23 after becoming the first Bulldog freshman since 2012 to score a hat trick, while McNabb was later named to the All-Conference Second Team along with team captain Anna Doane. Ava Bjorkman-Tracy was selected as All-Conference Honorable Mention, and also named to the All-Academic Team. Â
"I am delighted to announce Bella's promotion to Associate Head Coach of the program," said McNab. "Her commitment to UNC Asheville and the Women's Soccer program can be seen day in and day out, on and off the field. She has been an integral part of the program's success and continued success in the future."
In her third season in 2023, LaCasto helped the program to its first winning season since 2015 as the Bulldogs posted a record of 7-6-4. Asheville also tied a program record this season going seven matches without a loss (Aug. 20-Sept. 23). Asheville collected five weekly awards along the way, beginning with Karlee Benz earning Big South Conference Co-Freshman of the Week honors (Aug. 21) and Lexi Dooley earning Defensive Player of the Week honors that same day. Nao Kawasaki (Aug. 28), Shae Hassig (Sept. 5) and Anna Doane (Sept. 11) would also earn Big South Conference weekly honors throughout the season. The program also boasted six College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honors, and the team earned the United Soccer Coaches Team Academic Award for the second straight season.
 In her second season in 2022, LaCasto coached three All-Conference selections in Azalea Mihalovich (Second Team and All-Freshman Team), Anna Doane (Second Team) and Bronwyn Luitwieler (All-Academic Team). LaCasto also featured six College Sports Communicators Academic All-District selections on her roster in Jasmine Barry, Ava Bjorkman-Tracy, Carson Bogan, Barrett Eidson, Olivia Lenderman and Luitwieler.
 In her first season helping lead the Bulldogs, LaCasto and McNab coached Asheville to their most conference wins since 2004 (five) and their most overall wins since 2016 (six). After winning three of their last four matches, Asheville went 6-11-1 overall and 5-5 in Big South play. The Bulldogs had three players earn All-Big South Honors in Gillian Oyos (Second Team), Kaiya Boyd (Honorable Mention), and Taylor Gardner (All-Freshman), while Courtney O'Malley was named to the All-Academic squad.
LaCasto joined McNab at Barton in 2020, helping the Bulldogs post a record of 4-4-1 in a COVID-shortened season in the spring of 2021. Prior to her time at Barton, LaCasto worked as an assistant coach at Concord University in West Virginia. While at Concord, LaCasto coached a pair of All-Americans (Leah Foster, Mira Kontio), nine All-Mountain East Conference selections and seven all-region selections while helping guide the Mountain Lions to a 19-2 record in 2019.
While at Asheville, LaCasto started 58 of 74 games played at midfield for the Bulldogs, starting 32 of her last 33 games while serving as a team captain in her junior and senior seasons. A native of Clayton, North Carolina, LaCasto graduated from UNC Asheville in 2019 with a degree in health and wellness promotion and earned her master's degree in Concord in May of 2021 in health promotion.
"I would like to thank AD Cone, Andy and all of our administration for trusting me with this new role," said LaCasto. "UNC Asheville holds a special place in my heart and it has been an honor to work here for the past four years. "I'm excited to take on new responsibilities in this role and for us to continue building our program."
About Women's Athletics Presenting Partner First Bank
First Bank is the banking subsidiary of First Bancorp and is headquartered in Southern Pines, North Carolina, with total assets of approximately $12.1 billion. As a state-chartered community bank, First Bank operates 113 bank branches in North Carolina and South Carolina and a nationwide SBA platform. Since 1935, First Bank has taken a tailored approach to banking, combining best-in-class financial solutions, helpful local expertise, and technology to manage a home or business. First Bancorp's common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol "FBNC." Visit our website at www.LocalFirstBank.com. Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender.
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In her fourth season in 2024, LaCasto helped the program to four wins and the program's first berth in the Big South Conference Tournament since 2016, earning the No. 6 seed on the final day of the regular season with a 1-0 win at Charleston Southern. Freshman Mercedes McNabb earned Offensive Player of the Week honors on Sept. 23 after becoming the first Bulldog freshman since 2012 to score a hat trick, while McNabb was later named to the All-Conference Second Team along with team captain Anna Doane. Ava Bjorkman-Tracy was selected as All-Conference Honorable Mention, and also named to the All-Academic Team. Â
"I am delighted to announce Bella's promotion to Associate Head Coach of the program," said McNab. "Her commitment to UNC Asheville and the Women's Soccer program can be seen day in and day out, on and off the field. She has been an integral part of the program's success and continued success in the future."
In her third season in 2023, LaCasto helped the program to its first winning season since 2015 as the Bulldogs posted a record of 7-6-4. Asheville also tied a program record this season going seven matches without a loss (Aug. 20-Sept. 23). Asheville collected five weekly awards along the way, beginning with Karlee Benz earning Big South Conference Co-Freshman of the Week honors (Aug. 21) and Lexi Dooley earning Defensive Player of the Week honors that same day. Nao Kawasaki (Aug. 28), Shae Hassig (Sept. 5) and Anna Doane (Sept. 11) would also earn Big South Conference weekly honors throughout the season. The program also boasted six College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honors, and the team earned the United Soccer Coaches Team Academic Award for the second straight season.
 In her second season in 2022, LaCasto coached three All-Conference selections in Azalea Mihalovich (Second Team and All-Freshman Team), Anna Doane (Second Team) and Bronwyn Luitwieler (All-Academic Team). LaCasto also featured six College Sports Communicators Academic All-District selections on her roster in Jasmine Barry, Ava Bjorkman-Tracy, Carson Bogan, Barrett Eidson, Olivia Lenderman and Luitwieler.
 In her first season helping lead the Bulldogs, LaCasto and McNab coached Asheville to their most conference wins since 2004 (five) and their most overall wins since 2016 (six). After winning three of their last four matches, Asheville went 6-11-1 overall and 5-5 in Big South play. The Bulldogs had three players earn All-Big South Honors in Gillian Oyos (Second Team), Kaiya Boyd (Honorable Mention), and Taylor Gardner (All-Freshman), while Courtney O'Malley was named to the All-Academic squad.
LaCasto joined McNab at Barton in 2020, helping the Bulldogs post a record of 4-4-1 in a COVID-shortened season in the spring of 2021. Prior to her time at Barton, LaCasto worked as an assistant coach at Concord University in West Virginia. While at Concord, LaCasto coached a pair of All-Americans (Leah Foster, Mira Kontio), nine All-Mountain East Conference selections and seven all-region selections while helping guide the Mountain Lions to a 19-2 record in 2019.
While at Asheville, LaCasto started 58 of 74 games played at midfield for the Bulldogs, starting 32 of her last 33 games while serving as a team captain in her junior and senior seasons. A native of Clayton, North Carolina, LaCasto graduated from UNC Asheville in 2019 with a degree in health and wellness promotion and earned her master's degree in Concord in May of 2021 in health promotion.
"I would like to thank AD Cone, Andy and all of our administration for trusting me with this new role," said LaCasto. "UNC Asheville holds a special place in my heart and it has been an honor to work here for the past four years. "I'm excited to take on new responsibilities in this role and for us to continue building our program."
About Women's Athletics Presenting Partner First Bank
First Bank is the banking subsidiary of First Bancorp and is headquartered in Southern Pines, North Carolina, with total assets of approximately $12.1 billion. As a state-chartered community bank, First Bank operates 113 bank branches in North Carolina and South Carolina and a nationwide SBA platform. Since 1935, First Bank has taken a tailored approach to banking, combining best-in-class financial solutions, helpful local expertise, and technology to manage a home or business. First Bancorp's common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol "FBNC." Visit our website at www.LocalFirstBank.com. Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender.
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Players Mentioned
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