ELMIRA, N.Y. – Elmira College Director of Athletics, Rhonda Faunce, has announced the hiring of Billy McCrae as the next Head Flag Football Coach. McCrae played a vital role in the program's success during its inaugural season and has been a member of the EC Athletic Department for the past two years.

"I've been blessed to be a part of this program from the day it was started over two years ago," said McCrae. "I am incredibly grateful to Athletic Director Rhonda Faunce for her belief in me to be the second Head Coach in program history."

McCrae enters his third year at Elmira after serving two successful seasons as the assistant women's basketball and flag football coach. During his time, McCrae has played an integral role in the continued growth and success of both programs, helping student-athletes excel on the field, on the court, and in the classroom.

"Billy has been instrumental in establishing the foundation of our flag football program while also contributing greatly to the success of our women's basketball team," Faunce said. "His ability to connect with student-athletes, recruit talented players, and foster a competitive culture made him the clear choice to lead our program moving forward."

In his role with the women's basketball program, McCrae helped guide the Soaring Eagles to an Empire 8 Quarterfinal appearance in 2024-25 and the Empire 8 Semifinal game in 2025-26. During his time, the program earned one Empire 8 All-Tournament Team selection, one All-Conference honoree, two Empire 8 Tomorrow's Leaders, and four CSC Academic All-District selections.

His success continued with flag football in his role as offensive coordinator, proving him a vital component of the program. McCrae worked hard to bring in strong recruits for the 2026 season, helping send the team to the Inaugural Empire 8 Championship game after upsetting the No. 1 seed. McCrae assisted in the program posting a .500 record while coaching five All-Conference selections, three All-Tournament selections, and two All-PMC selections. He helped the Soaring Eagles lead the conference in passing yards (3,011), touchdowns (36), receiving yards (2,961). EC was second in the conference for interceptions (20) and sacks (18).

"My vision is to continue building on the success that we had this season and become a perennial contender in the Empire 8. We return starters at ten of the 14 offensive/defensive positions, including three All-Conference selections from a team that made an Empire 8 Championship run. We also have a talented incoming class that makes me excited for next year and the future."