June 14, 2007 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Spartanburg Methodist College Hires Three New Coaches

Kyle Owings

Abbey Lytle

Denise Willard

SPARTANBURG, SC –  Spartanburg Methodist College has recently added three new coaches to its athletics staff. 

Women’s Golf 

Kyle Owings,  of Spartanburg, has been named coach of the Women’s Golf team, which starts its inaugural season this fall. 

Owings, 24, is a Spartanburg County native who graduated from Dorman High School in 2000 and Anderson University in 2004, with a degree in Business Management. He is currently pursuing a Master’s in Education at Converse College. 

Owings currently works full-time as a career counselor at Dorman High School. He also assists the Dorman High School golf teams as a swing instructor. 

While a member of the Anderson University golf team, he was named four-time MVP, four-time All Conference, and a 2003 Ping All-American. He has also played 1 ½ years of professional golf on the Southeastern Tour. 

Cheerleading 

Abbey Lytle, 23, of Spartanburg, has been named as the part-time Cheerleading Coach.  Lytle, is a 2002 graduate of Boiling Springs High School, 2004 graduate of Spartanburg Methodist College, and 2006 graduate of Wofford College, with a BA in Sociology. 

She currently works part-time for Carolina Investigations and full-time for CNAC. Lytle is engaged to Jamey Bedenbaugh, of Prosperity, SC, and a September wedding is planned. 

Lytle’s passion for cheerleading started early in Kindergarten and continued on through her many years of experience.  She was a member of the Boiling Springs High School Varsity Cheer Squad all four years of high school and the SMC Cheer Squad while attending the college. She has previous experience coaching other teams, and has participated in judging tryouts and competitions, as well as coaching private lessons.

Dance 

Denise Willard, of Spartanburg, has been named as the part-time coach of the SMC Dance Team.  

Willlard, 24, is a Union County native and resident of Spartanburg. She is a 2005 Wofford College graduate with a B.A. in English and also has teaching certification. 

She is a 2001 Jonesville High School graduate, where she currently teaches English, along with Yearbook and Drama. She also serves as the school’s varsity cheerleading coach.  

In Fall 2007, she will be teaching at Dorman High School in Spartanburg and will also be coaching the school’s Blue Bells dance squad. 

Her goals for the SMC Dance Squad are for the team to be more active at the basketball games and within the community, along with more intertwining of dance and cheer. 

SMC Athletic Director Mark Perdue says that the new coaches will add to the quality of the athletic department’s programs. 

“Each of these coaches will bring unique elements to their respective teams. We look forward to a successful season under their leadership and welcome them to SMC,” says Perdue. 

Spartanburg Methodist College is in its 96th year of providing a quality education to students in a Christian environment. More than 90 percent of SMC graduates continue their education at other institutions of higher learning. 

For more information, please contact athletic director Mark Perdue at (864) 587-4237. 

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