Trevecca athletics welcomes three new head coaches for upcoming seasons

By Parker Henningsen

Sports editor / Chief photographer

Both basketball teams and the women’s soccer team have welcomed new coaches for the 2025-2026 year.

The men’s basketball team will now be led by Nate Moran. Women’s basketball will be led by Doug Novak. Women’s soccer is now led by Matheus Mello.

Two of the hires are familiar faces: Moran and Mello, both promoted from assistant coaching positions under previous head coaches Kevin Carroll and Nathan Harrell, respectively. Novak is new to campus but brings a wealth of experience.

Novak has more than 30 years of coaching under his belt, having worked at more than 10 colleges and universities—including major programs such as Mississippi State, West Point Army, Tulane and Clemson.

“When the Trevecca job opened up, I said, ‘That’s it. That’s the one I have been searching for as a head coach opportunity,’” Novak said.

Novak said his coaching approach will emphasize development and fast-paced play.

“We are trying to create a good foundation so that they can run. Be aggressive, play fast, free and decisive,” he said. “I love watching players grow, and I’ve already seen that with this group.”

Mello becomes the seventh head coach in program history. Born in São Paulo, Brazil, Mello came to the United States in 2015 to play soccer and earn his degree at Faulkner University in Montgomery, Alabama. After two seasons as Trevecca’s assistant coach, he’s excited to lead a team he already knows well.

“We have a strong team. It helps that I was assistant coach for two years because I know the girls already,” Mello said. “They have been responding well, and their precision is really good.”

Mello noted the importance of conference stability, as the Trojans compete in the same league for the second consecutive year.

“We can establish ourselves as a tough opponent in the conference and, with the years to come, start stacking up into a title contender,” Mello said.

Men’s basketball coach Nate Moran is also stepping into the head role for the first time at Trevecca, becoming the program’s 11th head coach. Moran, a former Lipscomb University player, spent the last two seasons working under Kevin Carroll, who recently departed to lead Lipscomb’s men’s basketball program. Together, Moran and Carroll posted a 35-23 record, the best two-year run in Trevecca’s NCAA Division II era.

Moran praised his players’ chemistry and work ethic.

“We have built strong connectivity within our team, guys that love each other and want to play for each other,” Moran said. “They play their tail off, and they are about the right stuff. That’s what’s going to make this season fun to watch.”

Even with a younger roster, Moran is optimistic.

“We’re definitely going to be a younger group of guys, which typically in college basketball, people would say that you cannot win with younger guys, which I would just disagree,” Moran said. “I’m excited.”

Women’s soccer is already underway with a 2-2 record and will open conference play Sept. 19 against the University of West Alabama. Men and women’s basketball will start in early November.