North Carolina State University Athletics
Darby Sligh Elevated to Associate Head Coach of Wolfpack Women’s Golf
8/22/2022 12:28:00 PM | Women's Golf
RALEIGH – NC State women's golf head coach Page Marsh announced Monday the promotion of Darby Sligh to associate head coach.
A 17-year coaching veteran, Sligh has completed a total of four seasons as a member of Marsh's staff at NC State. She joined the program as an assistant coach in June of 2018.
"I am so excited for Darby and this opportunity to elevate her to the well-earned title of associate head coach," said Marsh. "I've known her since I recruited her, and we have complimented each other well as we've coached alongside each other these past four years. We value her skill-sets, and I am beyond pleased to put her in the position to be with us long term. One of the things I learned from Nora Lynn Finch (former senior associate athletics director) is the importance of helping foster peoples' dreams and that those dreams extend not only to your student-athletes but to the support around them. Our program has great momentum and energy right now, and Darby is a valuable part of that."
During her stint with the Wolfpack, Sligh has been a part of a combined 18 top-10 team tournament finishes and 35 top-20 individual finishes. After helping the program earn its 17th NCAA Regional bid in the last 18 seasons in her first year (2018-19), Sligh guided a squad that consisted of seven underclassmen to four top-10 team finishes and five top-20 individual finishes before the COVID-19 pandemic abruptly ended the 2019-20 campaign. After a 2021 spring campaign where Monika Vicario earned an individual at-large berth to the NCAA Columbus Regional, Sligh helped the Wolfpack back to postseason play with a team at-large berth in 2021-22 (its 18th time in the last 21 seasons).
"I'm incredibly grateful for the opportunity to continue working alongside Coach Marsh in this new role," said Sligh. "I have great respect for her as a mentor and all that she has done for this program. NC State is a special place to call home, and I'm appreciative of the leadership and trust placed in us from both (Deputy Athletic Director) Stephanie Menio and (Director of Athletics) Boo Corrigan."
Sligh was named the recipient of the 2020 Division I Golf Pride Grips WGCA Assistant Coach of the Year when she stepped up for the program during a difficult time. At the Golfweek Conference Challenge in Colorado on Sept. 25, 2019, Coach Marsh had to leave the final round of the tournament when her husband, George Tarantini (former head men's soccer coach at NC State), unexpectedly passed away. Sligh stepped in and coached the Pack by herself to a ninth-place finish and the team's second-lowest score of the semester. She seamlessly took over all head coaching and operational duties for the final two tournaments of the fall, and the Pack closed out the semester with another ninth-place finish at the Landfall Tradition.
Sligh's wealth of experience and ability to produce championship-caliber success extends well beyond her time in Raleigh. Before coming to NC State, she served as the head coach at Illinois State for 11 seasons (2007-08 to 2017-18). While there, Sligh led the Redbirds to five Missouri Valley Conference championships, five automatic NCAA Regional berths and four-consecutive MVC Coach of the Year awards.
Prior to Illinois State, she was the head coach at Newberry College for two seasons. Sligh was able to produce a 2007 South Atlantic Conference championship, win league coach of the year honors (2007) and have six players named All-SAC honorees while there.
Sligh played at Alabama from 2002 to 2005 and was the team's co-captain all four years. She secured nine top-10 finishes and two wins during her collegiate playing career. Sligh was named Second Team All-SEC following the 2003-04 season and was the 2004 SEC Scholar Athlete of the Year.
#GoPack | @PackWGolf
Players Mentioned
