Mary Holt-Kelsch Named Head Coach for Softball
7/31/2024 12:15:00 PM | Softball
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Brown University's Chancellor Samuel M. Mencoff '78 Vice President for Athletics and Recreation M. Grace Calhoun '92, Ph.D. has named Mary Holt-Kelsch the Head Coach for Softball.
"We are thrilled to welcome Mary to College Hill," Calhoun said. "She is a proven head coach, and she is ready to get to work. We are excited about the future of Brown Softball under her leadership."
Holt-Kelsch joins the program after spending the last three seasons as the head coach at Rhode Island College. The Anchorwomen posted stronger records in each of Holt-Kelsch's three seasons, capped off by a 31-win campaign last year that ended with RIC's first appearance in the Little East Conference Championship in nine seasons.
"I would like to thank Vice President for Athletics Dr. Calhoun, Jake Silverman, and Colleen Kelly for this incredible opportunity to lead our softball program to new heights of success. It is a great privilege to be a part of Brown Athletics," Holt-Kelsch said. "We will strive to compete at a high level on the field and in the classroom. Our goal will be to build a strong culture–working and competing at a championship level, and remembering it is always a team effort that allows us to achieve our goals."
With the Anchorwomen, Holt-Kelsch coached three First Team All-Region selections, two Second Team All-Region selections, six First Team All-Conference selections, four Second Team All-Conference selections, and seven All-Rookie Team selections.
Prior to her tenure at Rhode Island College, Holt-Kelsch was on staff at the University of Rhode Island, joining the program as an assistant coach in 2015.
Promoted to URI associate head coach in May of 2019, Holt-Kelcsh helped rebuild the program. In 2019, the Rams increased their win total for the second straight season, winning 17 games. As a team, they had a breakthrough season offensively, setting single-season program records in home runs (33), slugging percentage (.398) and on-base percentage (.341). The team batting average (.260) was URI's highest since 1997, and the fifth highest in program history.
Holt-Kelsch, who went to Rhode Island after two seasons as an assistant at Lafayette, worked primarily with the infielders. She was also a hitting instructor and assisted with recruiting.
During her time at Lafayette, Holt's success led to her being promoted to the top assistant position on Jexx Varner's staff. In addition to helping the team improve their overall fielding percentage, Holt also monitored and mentored their student-athletes, helping Lafayette achieve the highest GPA in program history during the 2015 season.
A native of Providence, R.I., Holt is a 2013 graduate of Kent State University. She was a three-year starter in the infield and finished her career tied for sixth in program history in home runs. Holt earned her bachelor's degree in business administration and also collected Mid-American Conference All-Academic Team honors.
WHAT THEY ARE SAYING ABOUT MARY HOLT-KELSCH
"Congratulations to Coach Holt-Kelsch for being named the new Head Coach at Brown University. Mary has a great passion for the sport of softball and an incredible desire to motivate young people to do their best. I am excited to see what the future of Brown softball has in store under Mary's leadership."
- Thorr Bjorn, Director of Athletics, University of Rhode Island
"I am extremely excited for Mary and for Brown, this is a great hire! Mary is a fantastic young coach who is as committed, driven and competitive as they come. She has a wonderful passion for the sport and young women she leads. But where I think Brown knocked it out the park, is that Mary is fiercely loyal. Her love for Rhode Island and any program she is coaching is infectious. Mary will lead with pride and affection for her student-athletes that will help them feel like and find "home" at Brown. So proud of her!"
- Jexx Verner, Head Softball Coach, Robert Morris University
BROWN UNIVERSITY SPORTS FOUNDATION
The Brown University Sports Foundation (BUSF) is the lifeblood of the athletics program, and exists to enhance the student-athlete experience through philanthropic support from alumni, parents, fans and friends. A gift through the Sports Foundation makes an immediate impact on today's Brown Bears and helps them to be their best in the classroom, in competition and most importantly in the community. To learn more about supporting the Bears, please click here.
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL
For the latest on Brown Athletics, please follow @BrownU_Bears on X, @BrownU_Bears on Instagram, like BrownUBears on Facebook and subscribe to the BrownAthletics YouTube channel.
"We are thrilled to welcome Mary to College Hill," Calhoun said. "She is a proven head coach, and she is ready to get to work. We are excited about the future of Brown Softball under her leadership."
Holt-Kelsch joins the program after spending the last three seasons as the head coach at Rhode Island College. The Anchorwomen posted stronger records in each of Holt-Kelsch's three seasons, capped off by a 31-win campaign last year that ended with RIC's first appearance in the Little East Conference Championship in nine seasons.
"I would like to thank Vice President for Athletics Dr. Calhoun, Jake Silverman, and Colleen Kelly for this incredible opportunity to lead our softball program to new heights of success. It is a great privilege to be a part of Brown Athletics," Holt-Kelsch said. "We will strive to compete at a high level on the field and in the classroom. Our goal will be to build a strong culture–working and competing at a championship level, and remembering it is always a team effort that allows us to achieve our goals."
With the Anchorwomen, Holt-Kelsch coached three First Team All-Region selections, two Second Team All-Region selections, six First Team All-Conference selections, four Second Team All-Conference selections, and seven All-Rookie Team selections.
Prior to her tenure at Rhode Island College, Holt-Kelsch was on staff at the University of Rhode Island, joining the program as an assistant coach in 2015.
Promoted to URI associate head coach in May of 2019, Holt-Kelcsh helped rebuild the program. In 2019, the Rams increased their win total for the second straight season, winning 17 games. As a team, they had a breakthrough season offensively, setting single-season program records in home runs (33), slugging percentage (.398) and on-base percentage (.341). The team batting average (.260) was URI's highest since 1997, and the fifth highest in program history.
Holt-Kelsch, who went to Rhode Island after two seasons as an assistant at Lafayette, worked primarily with the infielders. She was also a hitting instructor and assisted with recruiting.
During her time at Lafayette, Holt's success led to her being promoted to the top assistant position on Jexx Varner's staff. In addition to helping the team improve their overall fielding percentage, Holt also monitored and mentored their student-athletes, helping Lafayette achieve the highest GPA in program history during the 2015 season.
A native of Providence, R.I., Holt is a 2013 graduate of Kent State University. She was a three-year starter in the infield and finished her career tied for sixth in program history in home runs. Holt earned her bachelor's degree in business administration and also collected Mid-American Conference All-Academic Team honors.
WHAT THEY ARE SAYING ABOUT MARY HOLT-KELSCH
"Congratulations to Coach Holt-Kelsch for being named the new Head Coach at Brown University. Mary has a great passion for the sport of softball and an incredible desire to motivate young people to do their best. I am excited to see what the future of Brown softball has in store under Mary's leadership."
- Thorr Bjorn, Director of Athletics, University of Rhode Island
"I am extremely excited for Mary and for Brown, this is a great hire! Mary is a fantastic young coach who is as committed, driven and competitive as they come. She has a wonderful passion for the sport and young women she leads. But where I think Brown knocked it out the park, is that Mary is fiercely loyal. Her love for Rhode Island and any program she is coaching is infectious. Mary will lead with pride and affection for her student-athletes that will help them feel like and find "home" at Brown. So proud of her!"
- Jexx Verner, Head Softball Coach, Robert Morris University
BROWN UNIVERSITY SPORTS FOUNDATION
The Brown University Sports Foundation (BUSF) is the lifeblood of the athletics program, and exists to enhance the student-athlete experience through philanthropic support from alumni, parents, fans and friends. A gift through the Sports Foundation makes an immediate impact on today's Brown Bears and helps them to be their best in the classroom, in competition and most importantly in the community. To learn more about supporting the Bears, please click here.
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL
For the latest on Brown Athletics, please follow @BrownU_Bears on X, @BrownU_Bears on Instagram, like BrownUBears on Facebook and subscribe to the BrownAthletics YouTube channel.
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