Appalachian League celebrates women in front-office and on-field roles for 2023 season

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — The Appalachian League celebrates the women working in the front-office and on-field roles across the league for the 2023 season. This year’s group of 12 women includes Appalachian League executives, coaches, athletic trainers, umpires and the league’s previously announced data coordinators.

“The Appalachian League is very proud to have several great women representing us as coaches, trainers, data coordinators, umpires and general managers for the 2023 season,” Appalachian League Executive Director Brian Graham said.

Meet the women working in the Appalachian League for the 2023 season:

Executives:

Kiva Fuller - General Manager, Elizabethton River Riders

Fuller served as Johnson City Doughboys’ general manager for two seasons, earning the Appalachian League Patriot Award and Promotional Award, before taking over as the River Riders’ general manager in Sept. 2022. This will be her 17th season overall working in summer collegiate baseball. Before joining the River Riders and Doughboys, Fuller previously worked in the Coastal Plain League with the Forest City Owls, where she served as the general manager for six seasons and was awarded by the league as the first single female Executive of the Year in 2017.

"It's an honor to be a part of the Appalachian League as the general manager of the Elizabethton River Riders! I always want to encourage and inspire every girl and young woman who dream of being in baseball. We may not be on the field, but we are in front offices, coaching and umpiring today at many levels of baseball. Dream big, work hard and never stop believing in yourself." ~ Kiva Fuller

Coaches:

Jacqui Reynolds - Fourth Coach, Johnson City Doughboys

Reynolds is an assistant coach at the University of Massachusetts Boston, working specifically with the team’s hitters and outfielders. She has also coached across Massachusetts at Woburn High School, Newton South High School and the A’s Baseball Center. Reynolds played softball at Southern New Hampshire University and began baseball in January 2016. She has played with the All-Women’s New England Red Sox and spent the 2019 season with the men’s Naugatuck Hackers of the Nutmeg State Baseball League.

Carol Laube - Fourth Coach, Burlington Sock Puppets

Laube returns as the fourth coach for her second straight season with the Sock Puppets. She is currently in her first season as an assistant coach at George Fox University, where she serves as the outfield coach and assists with hitting. Laube previously spent six years coaching at Galena High School in Reno, Nev. Laube has spent much of her professional career as a violinist. She earned a bachelor’s degree in violin performance from Rice University and two master's degrees in violin performance from DePaul University and University of Nevada, Reno. She also completed her master's in athletic coaching from Ball State in 2018.

Athletic Trainers

Katherine Carnaghi - Bristol State Liners

Carnaghi is in her first year as an Assistant Athletic Trainer at the University of Mary Washington. Her primary sports responsibilities include field hockey, cross country, track & field and baseball. Carnaghi received her bachelor’s degree from Virginia Commonwealth University and her Master’s degree in Athletic Training from James Madison University.

"Being as there are a handful of Women in leadership and support positions across baseball right now with the sport being so male-dominated in these roles for years is a testament to how far this sport has come. While being an Athletic Trainer brings a different side to many things, one is being there for the worst days for many athletes. Being able to celebrate the small victories with the player when they feel confident in themselves after an injury is one of the joys that comes with being an athletic trainer in baseball. These young men are reaching for their goals and working to be the best, I love that I can play a small role in their paths to success." ~ Katherine Carnaghi

Angela Talaganis - Burlington Sock Puppets

Talaganis returns for her second season in the Appy League after finishing her first year as the baseball athletic trainer for the Division 1 Samford Bulldogs. Talaganis previously worked as assistant athletic trainer for the High Point University baseball program from 2019-22. She graduated from Kent State University with a bachelor’s degree in Athletic Training and from Tiffin University with her Master of Business Administration and a concentration in Sports Management.

Angela McNeely - Danville Otterbots

McNeely enters her third season in Danville. She received a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology and Exercise Science, Psychology and Biology from Shenandoah University. McNeely also received a Master of Science in Athletic Training from Shenandoah. She is currently an outreach athletic trainer at Rehab Associates of Central Virginia in Lynchburg. McNeely previously worked for eight years at nearby Averett University.

Lakota Oxendine - Johnson City Doughboys

Oxendine was the athletic trainer in Elizabethton in 2021 and at the Appalachian League Development Site in 2022. She has been the assistant athletic trainer at Science Hill High School in Johnson City since August 2020. Oxendine received her Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training from Lincoln Memorial University and her Master of Science in Sports Management from East Tennessee State University. While at ETSU, she was a graduate assistant athletic trainer for all Army ROTC cadets.

Ciara Celestino - Kingsport Axmen

Celestino is in her first year as a certified intern athletic trainer at ETSU, working with the football and track teams. She graduated from the University of South Florida with a Bachelor of Science in Health Science in 2020 and a Master of Athletic Training degree from the University of Central Florida in 2022. Celestino is a member of the National Athletic Trainers Association.

Rachel Lamb - Princeton WhistlePigs

Lamb is the head athletic trainer at Alderson Broaddus University, where she assists football, women’s basketball and baseball. Lamb received her Masters of Education in Sport Management from Millers University and her Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training from Mercyhurst University.

Umpires

Courtney Clements

Clements is a graduate of the Wedelstedt Umpire School (2022) as well as the Umpire Prospect Development Camp (2023). The Baxley, Ga., native is a graduate of South Georgia State College.