Feb. 4—PENDLETON — Pendleton Heights announced Thursday two of its fall sports programs will have new leaders in 2023.

Jonathan McClure will take over the girls soccer program while Bryant Beard assumes head coaching duties for the boys tennis program, the school announced in a Thursday release.

Both come to the Arabians with extensive and successful resumes.

McClure spent last season on the Anderson University sideline as an assistant coach. He has served as the director of coaching with Zionsville Youth Soccer Association for multiple years as well as spending 10 seasons as the head girls soccer coach at Guerin Catholic.

McClure's coaching stint with Guerin (2008-13 and 2016-19) includes multiple championships in the sectional ('08, '09, '10, '16 2A, '17 3A) and regional ('08, '09, '10, '17 3A), as well as two state finals appearances ('10, '17 3A). McClure has been named ISCA District 3 Private School Coach of the Year in '08, '09, '10, '16, and '17. He was given the "Above and Beyond" award from the ISCA in 2016. He was voted ICGSA District 3 Coach of the Year by his peers in 2010.

McClure earned a bachelor's degree in education from Indiana University and a masters in art education from Boston University. He and his family are residents of Pendleton.

"To have the opportunity of representing our school and community in this capacity is incredibly exciting," McClure said in a release. "I am ready to get started with the student-athletes and families of the PHHS girls' soccer program."

"We couldn't be happier with coach Jonathan McClure leading our girls soccer program," PH athletic director Chad Smith said. "His past experience and success speaks for itself. However, the thing that impressed me the most was that he didn't just state how he wanted to have postseason success. He provided a detailed plan on how to implement and execute that plan. That organization and his character pushed him to the top of the list."

McClure replaces Mark Davy, who stepped away after leading the Arabians for the last decade.

Beard also assumes a role held by a long-time coach in Royce Hammel, who is retiring after 14 seasons at the helm of the boys tennis program.

Beard grew up locally and played tennis for Anderson University. He also served as the head coach for Anderson University's men' and women's tennis teams where he led the program to a Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference regular season championship and was honored as HCAC coach of the year in 2020. Both programs defined what a student-athlete should be by earning academic honors with a team 3.75 GPA.

Beard now serves as the director of tennis for Indiana Premier Tennis at Community Sports & Wellness in Pendleton. He is eager to invest in the community and share his contagious energy and passion so many can come to find growth through the sport of tennis.

"The first thing I noticed was Coach Beard's passion and enthusiasm for the sport of tennis," Smith said in a release. "His energy will be contagious to our student-athletes. Everyone that I talked to about Coach Beard had nothing but positive feedback in their encounters with him. He has demonstrated the ability to build a program on a limited budget, and we look forward to his leadership and growing tennis at Pendleton Heights. I anticipate him being a leader in the community for those that love the sport of tennis."

Beard holds a bachelor's degree from Anderson University

Hammel will guide the girls team this spring for his 12th season as head coach.

Contact Rob Hunt at rob.hunt@heraldbulletin.com or 765-640-4886.