App State has added Erica Hanson and Emilene Parham to the soccer staff, head coach Aimee Haywood announced Tuesday.

Hanson will serve as the Mountaineers’ Director of Soccer Operations, while Parham joins the staff as an assistant coach, after playing the 2022 season as a graduate student for App State.

“As we continue to work to elevate this program it is important that we continue to invest in all areas, in order to give our student-athletes a world class experience,” Haywood said. “I’m excited to have Erica and Emilene join our staff and help us take this program from good to great.”

Hanson joins the soccer program after serving the High Country community as an insurance specialist at AppOrtho. Prior to that, Hanson was a Special Project Coordinator for It Starts with Me Health, where she served the company in a variety of capacities over a 12-year tenure.

A native of Missoula, Mont., Hanson graduated from the University of Montana with a Medical Assisting degree. She now lives in Boone, N.C. with her boyfriend, Keane, and enjoys spending her free time hiking, biking, and camping.

Parham joins the coaching staff after a five-year collegiate playing career. She began her tenure at Bucknell, where she helped the Bison to a Patriot League title in 2021. Playing as both a forward and midfielder, Parham tallied two goals and two assists in 61 games across her four seasons with the Bison.

Parham joined the Mountaineers for the 2022 campaign as a graduate transfer, appearing in 17 matches for the Black and Gold last fall. Parham began her transition into coaching shortly thereafter, helping App State to an undefeated spring season, including draws against Virginia Tech and South Carolina.

The Haymarket, Va. native was a standout at Battlefield High School, which was ranked No. 1 in the nation by USA today in 2017. In addition to serving on the Mountaineers’ bench this fall, Parham is completing her master’s degree in English, with a concentration in literary studies.