NC State Women’s Golf Coach Darby Sligh Lives With Her Mother, Catherine, Following The Death Of Her Father, Richard Miton Sligh Jr

Darby Sligh’s father, Richard Milton Sligh, Jr, was a member of St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church for 44 years.

As per the source, Darby Sligh, head coach of the NC State women’s golf team, has been appointed Treasurer of the Women’s Golf Coaches Association (WCGA) Board of Directors for the 2025-26 term.

She was appointed as the NC State women’s golf team head coach in January 2023 after a five-year stint as an assistant and associate head coach.

In her first season leading the Wolfpack, she guided the team to four top-10 finishes, including a runner-up showing at the Briar’s Creek Invitational and a 6th-place finish at the ACC Championship.

Before arriving at NC State, she spent over a decade as head coach at Illinois State, where she led the Redbirds to five Missouri Valley Conference titles and earned four straight MVC Coach of the Year honors.

Off the field, she holds a degree in sport psychology and is certified by the Titleist Performance Institute.

NC State Women’s Golf Coach Darby Sligh’s Parents Were Married For Over 48 Years

Born on May 9, 1983, in North Augusta, South Carolina, Darby Sligh, 43, was raised by her father, Richard, and her mother, Catherine Young Sligh. Darby’s parents got married in 1975.

Richard was the son of the late Richard Milton Sligh Sr. and Frances Bunch Sligh.

He was a graduate of North Charleston High School and graduated from Clemson University in 1975 with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering.

Later, he received his Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in 1979.

He moved to North Augusta in 1979, where he worked for several years for Columbia Nitrogen and DSM Resins, and retired as President of DSM Chemicals North America.

Following his retirement, he enjoyed a second career as a caddy at Augusta National for 9 years and as a Certified Financial Planner.

Additionally, he was a member of St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church for 44 years, during which he served multiple terms on the Vestry.

Tragically, Richard passed away on January 14, 2024, at 70. On January 16, 2024, Darby posted a photo of her father on Facebook as a tribute.

In the comment section, relatives and close ones poured their heartfelt condolences. One person wrote,

Another person wrote,

Following her father’s death, Darby lived with her mother, Catherine.

Catherine has avoided social media, but she always supported Darby in achieving her golf dreams.

Darby Sligh Grew Up With Her Brother, David Richard Sligh

Darby Sligh has one brother, David Richard Sligh, who attended Furman University, where he majored in business administration and played on Furman’s NCAA golf team.

He attended law school at the University of South Carolina, where he graduated with a degree in 2008.

David was a litigator for 12 years at a large South Carolina firm, where he served as a shareholder and focused on a variety of civil litigation and insurance matters.

He is married to Kathryn H. Sligh, a Conway native who attended Carolina Forest High School and then the University of South Carolina as an undergraduate, where she earned a degree in political science.

Kathryn has received the prestigious AV Preeminent Peer-Reviewed Rating from Martindale-Hubbell.

David and Kathryn reside downtown with their three children, Burch, John, and Will Sligh.

In Case You Didn’t Know

• A former standout athlete at Alabama, Darby Sligh was a team co-captain and the 2004 SEC Scholar Athlete of the Year.
• Darby also coached at Newberry College, winning the 2007 South Atlantic Conference title.
• David attended Union United Methodist Church, where he served as a frequent participant and performer in the Alive! Family ministry.