Wingate, N.C.----Wingate University head softball coach Lani Shaffer Ries, along with Wingate Vice President and Director of Athletics Steve Poston, have announced the hiring of Kelly King as the assistant softball coach. A former player at Tusculum College, King was most recently an assistant coach at Upper Iowa University.

"I am extremely excited to have Kelly King as my new pitching coach," head coach Lani Shaffer Ries says. "She will bring a plethora of knowledge to the pitching staff along with knowing what it takes to win a SAC championship, which she did at Tusculum."

King graduated from Tusculum in 2014 and spent time as a camp advisor and team coach at USA Preps Softball Camp in Palmdale, Calif. She became the graduate assistant coach at the University of Rio Grande in August of 2014, earning her Master's Degree in Athletic Coaching Leadership.

King started at Upper Iowa in August of 2015, where she was the assistant coach and pitching coach, while also working with fundraising, community engagement, recruiting, field maintenance and monitoring academics. King helped lead Upper Iowa to the NSIC Tournament championship in 2016. The team earned first place in the NFCA Academic Award in 2016 and 2017, compiling a team GPA of 3.764 in 2016 and 3.8 in 2017.

King began her collegiate playing career Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where she helped lead the team to back-to-back PSAC championships and NCAA Tournament appearances. The Crimson Hawks won the region title in 2011, advancing to the NCAA Division II World Series. King earned All-PSAC honors as a sophomore, then transferred to Tusculum for her final two seasons. The Pioneers won the SAC title in 2013, with King earning a spot on the All-SAC Tournament Team. She was an honorable mention all-conference selection in 2014 while breaking the school's single-season and career shutout record.

King earned her Bachelor Degree from Tusculum in 2014, majoring in Sport Management before earning her Master's Degree at The University of Rio Grande in May of 2016.

WINGATE UNIVERSITY
 
A comprehensive, independent and growing university, Wingate serves more than 3,600 students in North Carolina. Founded in 1896, the University offers 37 undergraduate majors as well as graduate and professional programs. Wingate is home to the Cannon College of Arts and Sciences, the Levine College of Health Sciences, the Byrum School of Business, the Thayer School of Education and the School of Sport Sciences. Wingate blends in-class exploration with out-of-class application to deliver an uncommon and life-changing educational experience.
 
In addition to a robust intramural athletics program, Wingate student athletes compete in 22 NCAA Division II sports. The University has won the South Atlantic Conference Echols Athletic Excellence Award for the past 12 years. Wingate is first in the 2000s among NCAA Division II and North Carolina's colleges and universities with 105 CoSIDA Academic All-America® selections. Wingate is tops among all SAC schools with 114 lifetime Academic All-America® honorees. For more information on WU athletics, go to www.wingatebulldogs.com. Current news and videos can be found at www.wingate.edu.