Kelley Montalvo joined the Bethune-Cookman University softball program on November 3, 2018, bringing unrivaled experience as a coach and player to the Wildcat program.
"This is a great honor to be coaching at a university with such a rich history of winning and achieving conference championships like Bethune-Cookman University," Montalvo said upon her hiring. "I am thankful to Coach Laura Watten for allowing me to join her staff, and I am just ready to get to work and continue raising the bar for what has already been an established program here in Daytona Beach."
The Miami native played her college ball for the storied University of Alabama program, earning First Team All-America honors in 2008 and '09 on both the Louisville Slugger/NFCA and Easton Teams, respectfully. The Crimson Tide won 221 of 261 game during her career that saw her finish with a .333 career batting average with 174 runs scores and 154 RBIs. Ninety-six of her 204 hits went for extra bases.
Montalvo’s award litany includes: All-SEC Freshman Team (2006), First Team NFCA All-South Region (2007), Second Team All-South Region (2008), First Team All-SEC (2008 and 2009), All-SEC Defensive Team (2008 and 2009), NFCA All-District Team (2009), All-SEC preseason selection (2009) and Women's College World Series All-Tournament Team (2009). She was also a USA Softball Player of the Year candidate in 2009.
After earning a bachelor's degree at the Capstone in communications and broadcasting in 2009, Montalvo embarked on a professional playing career.
Montalvo spent eight years with the Akron Racers of the National Pro Fastpitch League (NPF). She signed with the Racers as a free agent and had her contract extended three times, making her the franchise's longest tenured player. An All-NPF selection in 2014, 2105 and 2016, she compiled 120 runs, 89 RBIs and 17 home runs in her career. She was the NPF Defensive Player of the Year in 2012, finishing the season with 43 putouts, 93 assists and just three errors for a .978 fielding percentage.
Her coaching stints prior to BCU include three seasons at Middle Tennessee State, coaching outfielders and hitters, and the 2018 season at hometown Barry University in Miami.
She played her high school ball from nationally renowned Monsignor Pace High School. She was named Class 3A Hitter of The Year by the Miami Herald in 2005 and received all-state honors in both her junior and senior years.
"I am so happy to have Kelley join our staff," said Watten. "She brings a different approach to the game, and she played for a national championship program at Alabama. She is going to help us in a number of ways.”
