Tony Mele
Head Coach
Tony Mele enters his fifth year as Head Coach of Belmont Abbey Softball (6th year overall), having been elevated from assistant coach on Sept. 10, 2019.
During his six years with the program, the Crusaders have continued to see increased growth. 2023 produced 3 All Conference Players in Mackenzie Allison, Hallie Mele and Adison Yoder. When looking at the history of the program, 2023 also included the team delivering their 3rd highest in-conference team batting average as well as setting their own single season HR records both in and out of conference (39 Overall / 26 In Conference).
2022 including a record-setting 32 wins. The team had the highest winning percentage in program history (.681) and got off their best start ever, winning the first 11 games. He helped mentor Abby Craver to All-Conference Carolinas and Freshman of the Year honors, while Emily Morgan was also selected to the league team.
2021, Abbey Softball posted a 20-16 overall record, also finishing tied for second. During the campaign, the Crusaders won a school-record 13 straight games and had the league Player of the Year in Peyton Whitley. Additionally, five players were named all-conference, including three first-teams. His first season at the helm, 2020, was cut short by the Covid-19 pandemic.
"As we endeavored to identify the next head coach of our Softball program, it became apparent that our primary objective was to provide our students, including our future prospects, with consistency and continuity in leadership," Miss said at his hiring. "Concurrent to, and perhaps fueling, this growing awareness among those conducting our search, Tony Mele distinguished himself as a highly competent leader while serving as head coach in an interim capacity. Coach Mele, who benefits tremendously from having honed his skills while serving in a leadership capacity in multiple corporate organizations as well as in establishing and running his own businesses and travel softball programs, emerged as uniquely prepared and ideally suited to mentor, teach, and coach our students, to form and develop them body, mind, and soul, and to enable them to realize their full potential so as to become a blessing to themselves and others."
Mele came to Belmont Abbey as an assistant coach in the Fall of 2019 with 10 years of softball coaching experience at all levels and age groups. As a Team NC travel coach, he recruited and coached numerous players who are now committed to college play. Trained through the NFCA, Mele is well respected among players and coaches. His background prior to softball includes various leadership positions at Fortune 500 companies, where he gained extensive knowledge in planning, team building and budgeting. He also started his own real estate and software companies.
Mele received his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Connecticut in 1989 and his M.B.A from Wake Forest University in 1995. He and his wife, Helene, reside in Denver, N.C., with their two children, Hallie and Anthony.
Samantha West
Assistant Coach
She begins her first year at Belmont Abbey College and will serve as an Assistant Coach focusing on program hitting, outfield and recruiting. West most recently served as an assistant coach and hitting coach with Maiden High School.
In addition to coaching, West also fulfills the role of softball coordinator of hitting instruction for the Athletes Lab Performance Center in Maiden, NC.
Before joining the Belmont Abbey staff, West played a variety of starting roles at Tusculum University from 2017-2021 primarily as a middle infielder and outfielder. In her time as a Pioneer, West earned SAC All-Tournament Team, Bojangles Athlete of the Week, SAC Commissioner’s Honor Roll, Dean’s List, D2 Athletic Directors Associations Honor Roll, and a variety of achievements which include ranking 3rd in South Atlantic Conference history for on-base percentage and tying school history with a 5-for-5 performance in 2018 against Lenoir-Rhyne University. West fulfilled the role in the box with a best of .377 career batting average.
West comes from experience in coaching both softball and basketball. West’s younger sister, Abby West, plays in Conference Carolinas for Lees McRae.
West holds a bachelor’s degree in Special Education: Comprehensive and Inclusive Education and is currently pursuing her master’s degree through California State Northridge in Assistive Technology and Human Resources.
She currently resides in her hometown of Maiden, N.C.
Abby West
Assistant Coach
BIO coming soon
