WISE - - Over the summer UVa-Wise men's golf head coach Davis Absher had the opportunity to attend the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II Identity Workshop held June 13-15 at the NCAA National Office in Indianapolis, Indiana. Head volleyball coach Kristen Salyer also attended the workshop the previous year which focuses on professional development for Division II head coaches across the country.

"I appreciated the opportunity provided by NCAA DII and the Mountain East Conference. It was nice to get a deeper understanding of the DII philosophy and initiatives as well as network with other coaches within the division," stated Coach Salyer on her experience at the conference.

The three-day seminar allowed head coaches to enhance their leadership skills while learning about new concepts and resources. The workshop covered topics such as risk management, fundraising, and community engagement and education initiatives. Coaches also gained a better understanding of ways to communicate effectively and strategies to connect with student-athletes.

"The conference was very informative with a vast selection of topics," said Coach Absher. "It was great to hear incredible speakers discuss subjects such as Title IX, fundraising ideas, and leadership development."

Attendees engaged in various leadership activities with fellow coaches while also hearing from numerous industry professionals who spoke at the workshop. Presenters at this year's session included Jill Wilson; Roberta Page and Molly Simons from the NCAA championships and alliances; Ryan Jones, associate director of Division II; Terri Steeb Gronau, vice president of Division II; and Maritza Jones, managing director of Division II.

"Professional development opportunities like this are part of why we wanted to be NCAA DII," remarked UVa-Wise Director of Athletics Kendall Rainey.  "It is exciting to see our coaches get these experiences and return to campus sharing them. We are thankful to the MEC for supporting two UVa-Wise coaches' participation in the past two identity workshops."

Coach Absher is entering his second year as the head men's golf coach while Coach Salyer begins her seventh season as head coach of the volleyball program.