Hawley Ill

Prior to the cancelation of the 2019-20 spring sports season, Hawley Ill was hired as the assistant softball coach for Montreat Cavalier athletics. Ill brought an abundance of both playing and coaching experience to the program as the Cavs aimed to further improve heading into the offseason.

Ill joined the Montreat staff fresh off a stint as the assistant coach and pitching coach at Ursuline College in Pepper Pike, Ohio. While with the Arrows for a year, Ill recruited six out-of-state athletes to bolster the roster with supplementary talent.

Before coaching at Ursuline, the Orlando, Fla. native spent a season as an assistant coach at College of Central Florida. Ill helped lead the Patriots to their first-ever state championship during the 2018-19 year, as well as a third-place finish at nationals. College of Central Florida clinched its conference title, while Ill guided eight athletes to Mid-Florida Conference (MFC) All-Conference recognition that season, including the MFC Pitcher of the Year.

Under Ill's supervision, the Patriots also boasted the MFC home run leader, the Florida College Softball Athletic Association (FCSAA) State Tournament MVP, a trio of All-State players and player ranked second in home runs in the country.

Prior to a short stint as the coach for pitchers and catchers at Lyman High School in 2017-18, Ill earned valuable understanding as the head coach at Wake Technical Community College, where she coached three All-Conference athletes, doubled the roster size from nine to 18 players and led the Eagles to their first conference win during the 2016-17 season.

Besides coaching experience, Ill also earned a variety of accolades throughout the course of her own college softball career.

Ill stayed in the Sunshine State to begin her athletic career, as she attended Chipola College in 2011. She then moved to the College of Central Florida where she kicked off her accumulation of honors.

As a member of the Patriots, Ill started at all nine positions and notched All-Conference Defense her freshman year before leading the team in runs scored and on base percentage her sophomore season, earning All-Conference Offense determination. When Ill continued her career at the University of Pikeville in 2013-14, she achieved All-Conference Offense honors once more, while captaining the Bears in every offensive statistical category.

At St. Andrews University as a senior, Ill was an All-Conference Pitcher, collected the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) Pitcher of the Week award and finished the season as the AAC's strikeout leader.

After earning her degree in communications from the College of Central Florida, Ill is now working toward her Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice at Montreat.

Ill currently resides in Asheville.