Tony Mele enters his sixth year overall at Belmont Abbey and fifth as Head Coach, 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 with the 2023 team producing three All-Conference Carolinas players in Mackenzie Allison, Hallie Mele and Adison Yoder. The team also delivering its third-highest in-conference team batting average as well as setting single-season home run records, both in and out of conference (39/26).
The 2022 season including a record-setting 32 wins and the the highest winning percentage in program history (.681). It opened with 11 straight wins, the best start ever and concluded with Abby Craver earning All-Conference Carolinas and Freshman of the Year honors, while Emily Morgan was also selected to the league team.
After seeing his first campaign in 2020 cut short by the the Covid-19 pandemic, Mele led Abbey Softball to a 20-16 overall record, finishing tied for second in the conference standings. 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 on the first-team.
"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.
