Youngstown State University's bowling program is saddened to share that Chelsea Gilliam, the first head coach in program history, passed away on Tuesday after a long and courageous battle with cancer. She was 35 years old and had lived with the disease for more than a decade.
"We are extremely saddened to hear of Chelsea's passing and send our sincerest sympathy to her entire family and friend circle," current YSU head coach Doug Kuberski said. "Chelsea was courageous, strong, and an inspiration to everyone who knew her. We are forever grateful to have known Chelsea and for all her great work in laying the foundation for Penguins Bowling. She will be sorely missed and always in our hearts."
Gilliam was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2013 at age 23, and she was re-diagnosed in May 2016 while serving as the Penguins' head coach. A strong support system, which ranged from family to coworkers and friends in the bowling community to WWE star Roman Reigns, rallied behind her as Team Chelsea as she continued to fight over the next nine years. Just last weekend, a fundraiser was held in her honor near her home at Ormond Lanes in Ormond Beach, Fla., as she continued treatment.
Gilliam was announced as YSU's first head coach on Sept. 1, 2015, and she ushered the program from its infancy into one ready to launch into the top tier of Division I bowling. She moved to Florida after leading the Penguins to top-25 rankings in the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons, and Kuberski succeeded her. He built on Gilliam's foundation, and the Penguins won the National Championship in April.
Though she was no longer at the helm of the program, Gilliam continued to support the Penguins from afar. She shared on social media as recently as two weeks ago how proud she was to have started the program and set high goals of taking it to the top of collegiate bowling.
As an accomplished collegiate bowler, Gilliam helped lead the University of Pikeville to a national championship as a senior in 2012. She got her first coaching job shortly after at Union College, where she served as head coach before coming to Youngstown.
