head coach

“Native of Valencia, Spain, I come to Hickory FC from Lenoir-Rhyne University, where I serve as the Head Men’s Soccer Coach. I moved to Hickory in 2018 as the Men’s and Women’s Soccer Graduate Assistant Coach. Since then, I have evolved my role with both programs until landing at my current position.

At LRU, I have been part of many successful teams, achieving two SAC Regular Season Championships, three SAC Regular Season Championships, and five NCAA II Appearances, including a Final Four in 2021. We have created an environment where our student-athletes strive to excel on and off the field, highlighting our program’s impact on our community. I also serve as the Bears Soccer Academy Director, organizing soccer camps for our youth community.

I served as the Director of Coaching at Youth Catawba Valley Soccer Club from 2020 to 2023, where I could grow closer to our youth soccer community and build long-lasting positive relationships. During my time at YCVSC, I was pleased to support the development of our youth community through the vessel of the sport (organized league, tournaments, camps…)

Before Lenoir-Rhyne, I played one season of professional soccer in Bulgaria, Europe. I signed there after a three-year college career at Ohio Valley University in West Virginia. During my three seasons, we won one conference regular season and one conference tournament and reached the NCAA II Sweet Sixteen. Individually, I was awarded NCAA II Defensive Player of the Year, All-American, All-Region, All-Conference (two times), and Academic All-American. I played in youth academies in Spain before moving to the United States.

Academically, I hold a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from LRU and a Bachelor’s Degree in Sports Management from Ohio Valley University. I am currently on the path to obtaining a Master’s Degree in Soccer Coaching and my USSF B License. I hold other certifications: a Professional Diploma in Team Sports from FC Barcelona, a Certificate in Tactical Analysis from FC Barcelona, and a United Soccer Coaches Goalkeeping Diploma Level 2.

I have a wife and a son, both very enthusiastic about seeing the soccer ball rolling at Moretz Stadium!”

assistant coach

Jorge Morales is a Colombian native who has lived in the US for eight years. Jorge has competed at the college level with Ohio Valley University and Graceland University, and at a semi-professional level with both the West Virginia Chaos (formerly the WV PDL Team) and teams in Kansas City.

Holding Tactical Analyst and Sport Psychology Certificates from FC Barcelona, Jorge brings experience in the tactical analysis aspect of the game, performance counseling for the development of young players, and an acute skill set to nurture proficient team dynamics that make teams as competitive as possible.

He joined the Lenoir-Rhyne Bears in the spring of 2023, where he continues to serve as an assistant coach. In his first season with the Bears, he helped lead them to the SAC semifinal and finish the season in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

Jorge lives in Hickory, NC, with his wife, Kate, their daughter, Elena, and son, Tomás.

assistant coach

Will VanHoornbeek joined HFC in 2025. He came to HFC from Lenoir-Rhyne, where he serves as a Graduate Assistant Goalkeeper Coach for both the Men's and Women's soccer teams, assisting and training the goalkeepers for both programs.

Will’s journey to Lenoir-Rhyne included playing for the University of Indianapolis for two years. While playing for the Greyhounds, Will went to the NCAA Sweet 16 and Elite 8, and won the GLVC tournament in 2023. Will graduated from the University of Indianapolis in 2024 with a Bachelor of Science in Sports Management. Before transferring to the University of Indianapolis, Will played for four seasons at Southwest Baptist University as a goalkeeper.

Will also played for Springfield Demize in 2024, Semi-pro NPSL with Med City FC in 2023, and USL 2 with Dayton Dutch Lions in 2021.

Will was born and raised in Bolivar, Missouri, and is the middle child of a family of eight, with three brothers and two sisters.