Salyer Joins Lady Cavs Softball Staff

July 30, 2007

Wise, Va. – The highly successful University of Virginia’s College at Wise softball team welcomes a new addition to the coaching staff in Castlewood native Kelly Salyer. The new assistant coach will be the top assistant for Lady Cavs’ head coach Tori Raby-Gentry.

The program has been the most successful on the UVa-Wise campus over the past half decade. The Lady Cavs have claimed four-straight and five Appalachian Athletic Conference titles in the last six years as well as two NAIA Region XII championships and a pair of trips to the NAIA National Championships over the past three seasons.

Salyer, a former player for Virginia Intermont College, will add an experienced new coach to the staff and give Coach Raby-Gentry two top notch assistants along with current assistant Chuck Banner.

“It is an honor to get to come to UVa.-Wise and coach especially on a college level,” said Salyer. “I hope to give skills and knowledge and make the players better people and athletes.”

The new assistant has been coaching various travel softball teams over the summer with Banner for the past few years.

“I hope to open up things for Coach Raby-Gentry to work with the team’s pitchers while I can work with the outfielders,” tells Salyer.

The former Lady Cobra had a solid collegiate softball career to her credit. Salyer earned All-Tennessee Valley Athletic Conference her first year in 2000 before gaining All-Appalachian Athletic Conference acclaim her next two season while patrolling left field. She led the AAC and Virginia Intermont in triples for a season. The multi-talented coach also was an all-freshman team and all-conference performer on the basketball court for Virginia Intermont during college.

The Castlewood, Virginia native hold a bachelor of science degree in physical education with a minor in sport medicine from Virginia Intermont.