Southern Wesleyan University

Southern Wesleyan University Athletics
907 Wesleyan Drive Central, SC 29630

Division 2 South Carolina Southeast

Private Very Small Competitive team

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Coaches

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Clay Ardeeser

Clay Ardeeser joined the Southern Wesleyan Athletics team in the summer of 2022.

Ardeeser will join the Warriors after spending three seasons coaching with the Belhaven Blazers Baseball program. In his first season as the Assistant Coach, Ardeeser primarily worked with the offense and infield coaching. In that role, he coached five all-conference selections and one all region selection. The team posted 28 team wins and finished the season as the third best team in the conference, the best finish and most wins in school history since the Blazers transitions to Division III. Prior to being named the Assistant Coach at Belhaven, he served as a graduate assistant on the team. While serving in that role he worked with the Blazers’ offense and in 2020, the Blazers were able to finish among the Division III leaders in a number of offensive categories.

Prior to coaching at Belhaven, Ardeeser served as the Hitting Coach and First Base Coach for North Springs High School in Sandy Springs, GA where the Spartans program would finish as region runner-ups. Ardeeser was the Head Baseball Coach and Softball Coach at Sprayberry High School in Marietta, GA from 2018-19 before becoming the Head Softball Coach at Heritage High School in Conyers, GA. He served as the Hitting Coach for Grayson High School from 2016-17 where he helped coach the Rams to a 7A Region 8 title and saw two players from that team drafted into Major League Baseball. He began his coaching career in 2015-16 as the hitting coach and first base coach for John Milledge Academy in Milledgeville, GA while assisting the Trojans to a Final Four appearance and Regional Runner-Up finish.

Before entering the coaching field, Ardeeser continued his playing career for the Garden City Wind in the Independent Professional Pecos League where he was named a Pecos League All-Star. Following his time with the wind Ardeeser played for the Utica Unicorns of the Independent United Shore Professional Baseball League.

Ardeeser competed at Georgia College and State University in Milledgeville, GA. During his time with the Bobcats, Ardeeser played first base and was a three-time All-Peach Belt Conference selection, three-time All-Southeast Region selection, and two-time All-Peach Belt Conference Tournament Selection. Ardeeser was named the 2014 Collegiate Player of the Year in Georgia and also named a 2014 Division II All-American. During his time at GCSU, the Bobcats reached the Division II Southeast Regional three times and were two time Peach Belt Conference Tournament champions. Ardeeser finished his career 7th all time in single season batting average with a .424 clip. He also finished 1st all-time in putouts with (1518), 3rd in doubles (59), 6th in walks (126), 7th in Total Bases (422), 8th in RBI’s (196), 9th all-time in career hits (270) and 10th in home runs (29). Ardeeser graduated from Georgia College and State University with a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science.

“First and foremost, I would like to thank God for pushing me in the direction to be a part of such a great university,” commented Ardeeser. “I would like to thank Athletic Director Julia Reininga, Mike Gillespie, and the entire search committee for the utmost respect and professionalism throughout this process. I look forward to building a rich tradition here for the softball program that is unmatched in the southeast. We will do our best to embody the spirit of Christ, while training and competing at the highest level possible. I cannot wait to see what the future looks like for my family and I at Southern Wesleyan University! Go SWU!”

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Mallory Ardeeser

Mallory Parson joined the SWU Team in the Summer of 2022.

Parson was a member of the 2017 Georgia Military College team that was GCAA conference tournament champions and made an NJCAA World Series appearance and a top-10 finish. She had a 6-1 record with a 2.27 ERA for GMC. She finished off her final three years of collegiate softball at D1 Georgia State, where she logged 43 appearances over her time with the Panthers. She earned her first win as a Panther in her debut season with the team and earned 12 starts over her junior and senior seasons with the team.

Coaching with the Belhaven Blazers in the spring 2021 season, Parson was part of the 2021 ASC coaching staff of the year and the Blazers were the 2021 regular season co-conference champions. The team also made its first NCAA postseason appearance in school history and earned its first NCAA postseason win. The team also was ranked as high as 7th in NCAA DIII.

While with the Blazers, Parson's pitching staff posted the team's lowest ERA since 2016 (2.20 team ERA), had a pitcher receive 1st team All-American honors, seven ASC pitcher of the week awards and two national pitcher of the week awards during the 2021 season.

After her time with the Blazers, Parson headed to Piedmont College as the pitching coach for the Lions. Piedmont won the USA South conference championship and went to the NCAA regionals. Parson’s staff boasted a 2.29 ERA good for 2nd in the conference and 1st in the West Division. Parson had two of her pitchers named USA South All Conference and had the pitcher of the year for the West Division. One pitcher also was named All Region as well.