Kylie Cook, who spent her final two collegiate seasons with Western Carolina softball, has joined the squad’s coaching staff for the 2026 season. Cook joins the WCU staff after spending the past two seasons on the staff with Newberry.
Cook served on the staff at Newberry after serving as the Assistant Coach at Paris Junior College from 2020-2023.
During her time as a Dragon, Cook aided in turning the softball program around starting in 2021 where they had the most wins in a season in five years, along with becoming nationally ranked for the first time in school history in 2022.
Cook coached the Dragons to 97 wins in three seasons, coaches 15 all-conference, eight all-region, and the pitcher and player of the year in the 2023 season.
Prior to her coaching career she played her last two college seasons with the Catamounts. She saw action in 36 games with 15 appearances in the circle during her tenure. In 2019, she tossed four shutout innings in relief against power-four opposition Oregon State.
In 2020 before the season was shut down to the COVID-19 pandemic, Cook became the first batter to hit at Clemson Stadium History and ended her season leading the team in batting average with a .275.
She began her collegiate career at Howard College for two years earning WJCAC MVP award and WJCAC All-Conference honors as a Pitcher in 2018. During her two seasons at Howard College, Shay achieved an Overall Pitching Record of 31-3, six shut outs, and 176 strikeouts.
Cook, a native of Riverside, California resides in Sylva with her husband, Bear.
