Blue Tornado Soccer

The McCallie soccer program has become one of the top programs in the Southeast. With state titles in 2017, 2019 and 2024 and runner-up finishes in 2018 and 2025, the Blue Tornado have advanced to the state’s Final Four each year since 2015 with the exception of the non-playing Covid year of 2020. Led by Head Coach Chris Cushenbery, the 2025 season was his 12th season as head coach and program director. 

Under Head Coach Cushenbery, the Blue Tornado have morphed into a perennial top-25 nationally-ranked program. Last year's undefeated squad was rated No. 1 in MaxPreps final national spring poll. Other campaigns have garnered final rankings of #4, #11, #10, and #2 from 2017-2020. The team regularly plays top opponents from around the country including state champions from Texas, Tennessee, Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama, and Oklahoma in the last several seasons, twice defeating the top-ranked team in the country (Norman North (Okla.) 3-0 in 2017, and Station Camp (Tenn.) 4-0 in 2018) along with a draw with the No. 2-ranked team (1-1 against Coppell (Texas) in 2018).

The 2025 squad entered the season with a 17-match unbeaten streak, and ran that mark to 25 before a 3-1 Region loss to Chattanooga Christian. That result served as motivation through the remaining schedule as McCallie rolled to 10 straight victories from that point, including a 3-0 shutout of Baylor and a 3-1 revenge win over CCS in the Region Tournament finals. The boys advanced to the state finals with an impressive 5-1 dismantling of previously unbeaten Ensworth in the state semifinals. The finals match between the Blue Tornado and Montgomery Bell Academy was an instant classic, with the game advancing to two overtime periods then penalty kicks before a state champion was crowned. The Big Red prevailed in a gut-wrenching conclusion to a well-played, evenly-contested match.

McCallie soccer has been awarded the NSCAA National Team Academic Award 17 times which ranks among the top 10 in the nation and is best all-time in the state of Tennessee. And the Franklin award, given by the Chattanooga Times Free Press to the area’s top student-athlete, has gone home with a McCallie soccer player four times in the past eight years (David Bowman-Princeton, Wesley Brown-Princeton, Will McGregor-UNC, and Noah Tremain-UNC).

But the soccer program strives to be about more than trophies and honors. The overarching sense of purpose for the young men in this program is to “make McCallie the best place in the country to play high school soccer.” Rather than a focus on winning, the team strives to create the best environment for players to grow both on the field and as men.