VERMILLION, S.D.—University of South Dakota head softball coach Robert Wagner is pleased to announce the addition of Chelsea Qualls as an assistant coach. Qualls has been serving as the head softball coach and testing specialist at Sprague High School in Salem, Oregon, since the fall of 2018.
 
"We are so happy to welcome Chelsea into our program," said Wagner. "She brings a great deal of knowledge and love for the game. She will be a tremendous asset to our student-athletes and will be especially instrumental in the development of our pitching staff. Chelsea and her family will be a great asset to the softball program, USD and Vermillion."
 
Qualls played collegiately at Chemeketa Community College in Salem where she earned all-conference honors as a pitcher and her associate's degree in business. She moved on to George Fox University in nearby Newberg where she set the single-season record for strikeouts in the circle while batting .394 in the box. Those numbers netted her all-conference honors as a utility player.
 
Qualls began her coaching career as an assistant at West Salem High School in 2016. Later that year, she joined the staff at Willamette University, a Division III program in Salem. She spent two seasons there before accepted the head coaching gig at Sprague.
 
"My family and I are extremely excited to join the USD family," said Qualls. "Coach Wagner is highly respected in the softball community and I'm excited to be a part of his staff. I look forward to being on campus and getting right to work with our team in preparation for the upcoming season."
 
Qualls earned her bachelor's and master's degrees from University of Phoenix. She and her husband, Peter, have three boys, Beckett, Mickey and Maris.