In every stage of her head coaching career, Darby Sligh has demonstrated the ability to produce championship-caliber success in a short period of time. Sligh is entering her fourth year as the Illinois State head women's golf coach, having won three-consecutive MVC Championships and MVC Coach of the Year awards and producing five All-Valley performers.
Throughout the 2008-09 season, Sligh's dedication, passion and love for the game led her to be named the Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year and produce three All-MVC selections. The `Birds won the 2009 MVC Championship, where junior Stacey Miller captured the individual title. Sligh led the team to its second-consecutive postseason appearance in the NCAA Central Regional. Sligh's commitment to success for her players was evident when the team achieved a record team grade point average of 3.58, had two players named to the MVC Scholar-Athlete First Team, nine student-athletes on the AFNI Athletics Honor Roll and three National Golf Coaches Association (NGCA) Academic All-Scholars.
The 2007-08 season made for an impressive first year at Illinois State for Sligh. She led the youthful Redbirds to a Missouri Valley Conference Championship and an appearance in the NCAA Central Regional at the University of Texas Golf Club in Austin, Texas. Sligh was named Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year and had two players named to the All-MVC team. Marisa Milligan was named to the all-conference team and MVC Newcomer of the Year, while Stacey Miller was named to the MVC Scholar-Athlete First Team and also named to the all-conference squad. Sligh also had five players named to the MVC Honor Roll and four NGCA Academic All-Scholars.
Sligh is no stranger to successful seasons as a head coach. After graduating from Alabama, Sligh was named head women's golf coach at Newberry College in Newberry, S.C. In just two years at the helm of the Newberry women's golf team, Sligh was able to produce a 2007 South Atlantic Conference Championship, win league coach of the year honors (2007) and have six players named to the All-SAC team.
Sligh has had premier work experiences on the golf course. She was the first female to secure the position of shift supervisor for the practice range at the Masters Championship at Augusta National Golf Course in Augusta, Ga. Sligh also had the opportunity to caddy for five weeks on the LPGA for then-tour rookie Diana Ramage.
Sligh had an impressive list of collegiate honors and athletic achievements as a student-athlete at Alabama. She was named to the All-Southeastern Conference Second Team following the 2003-04 season, and in 2002-04, Sligh was a member of the Academic All-SEC team. In 2004, she was named the SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
Sligh was the Crimson Tide's co-captain from 2002-05. During her collegiate career, Sligh had nine top-10 finishes, including two wins.
