MONTREAT, N.C. — The Montreat College athletic department announced the addition of Taylee Newhouse to its full-time staff earlier this month, making the Western North Carolina native the head coach of its competitive cheer and dance programs. Newhouse begins her duties leading the cheer and dance teams immediately.
 
"I'm thrilled to welcome Taylee to our athletic staff," said Garrett Jones, Director of Athletics at Montreat College. "Bringing in a coach with her background and experience in the cheer and dance world is exciting in and of itself, but what stands out most is her genuine passion for impacting students' lives far beyond athletics. Her commitment to developing young people holistically makes her an outstanding fit to lead our program."
 
Prior to her hiring at Montreat College, Newhouse accumulated 13 years of experience coaching cheerleaders in the Swannanoa Valley. Since 2015, she's led the Charles D. Owen High School cheerleading program. In addition to numerous regional titles during that 11-year run, Newhouse's Owen squad claimed back-to-back North Carolina Cheerleaders Coaches Association (NCCCA) State Championships in the small co-ed non-tumble division the past two seasons. The initial title in 2025 marked the school's first NCCCA State Championship in at least a decade.
 
Before taking over as the head high school cheerleading coach, Newhouse began her coaching career in 2013 with the Owen Youth League.
 
"I am excited and honored to continue my coaching career with the cheerleaders and dancers at Montreat College," Newhouse shared. "Montreat is a special and beautiful place, one where I am looking forward to spending my days coaching, teaching and growing this spirit program into something the Valley can be even prouder of and excited to support."
 
Along with coaching, Newhouse has worked with the Montreat Conference Center as a food service and special event coordinator, the Carolina Event and Conference Center as an event manager and, most recently, Ingles Markets, Inc. as an advertising coordinator.
 
"Taylee's vision for our cheer and dance programs to serve as a driving force for school spirit across campus truly stood out during the interview process," Jones added. "Equally impressive was her desire for these programs to play an active role in serving our community while continuing to build excitement around Montreat College Athletics. Her vision aligns perfectly with the mission and culture of our department."
 
Newhouse and her husband, Logan, currently live in Old Fort, N.C. with their four children.