2025 Dave Williams National Coach of the Year Award presented by Golf Pride Grips Announced

NORMAN, Okla. (CollegiateGolf.com) – The six outstanding collegiate golf coaches receiving the 2025 Dave Williams National Coach of the Year Award presented by Golf Pride Grips were announced today by the GCAA. Golf Pride Grips will present the coaches with their awards during the Hall of Fame Banquet at the GCAA National Convention December 9-11.

Alan Bratton of Oklahoma State (Division I), Mark Hull of Colorado Christian (Division II), Pete Gyscek of Washington & Lee (Division III), Chris Butler of Lindsey Wilson (NAIA), Walt Williams of Midland (NJCAA Division I), and Brad Thornton of Mississippi Gulf Coast (NJCAA Division II) earned coach of the year honors for 2025. Golf Pride Grips Region and District Coaches of the Year were also named.

Bratton led second-ranked and his alma mater Oklahoma State to seven wins, including their last five tournaments, and five other top-three finishes this season. While winning the program's 12th national championship and 12th Big 12 Championship, the Cowboys were led on the course by PING All-Central Region honorees Ethan Fang, Gaven Lane, Eric Lee, and Preston Stout. Fang and Stout were named PING First Team All-Americans and Arnold Palmer Cup selections. Bratton was the Division I Dave Williams National Coach of the Year when he last led the Cowboys to the national championship in 2018.

Colorado Christian made history all season long under Hull, compiling 10 victories and a 153-0-1 record against NCAA Division II opponents. The Cougars won the program's first NCAA West/South Central Regional and second straight Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) Championship and won the season-opening The Writz at Mile High by an NCAA Division II-record 57 shots. They were led on the course by PING First Team All-Americans Xavier Bighaus, Sungyeop Cho, Adam Duncan, and Sangha Park. Duncan was named the 2025 NCAA Division II Jack Nicklaus Award presented by Workday recipient on Sunday.

Gyscek earned Ohio Dominican Athletic Conference (ODAC) Jack Jensen Coach of the Year honors after propelling Washington & Lee to their first-ever No. 1 national rankings this season. The Generals claimed three victories, including the Golfweek October Classic and Savannah Invitational against 19 other top-44 teams, and five other top-four finishes this season. They were led on the course by four PING All-Region IV golfers, including the 2025 NCAA Division III Jack Nicklaus Award presented by Workday recipient Jonathan McEwen and ODAC Rookie of the Year Timothy Kaufman.

Lindsey Wilson collected an NAIA-high eight team victories and 10 top-five finishes in Butler's second season at the helm. Their wins included the program's first national championship and second straight Mid-South Conference (MSC) Championship. The Blue Raiders and MSC Head Coach of the Year Butler were led on the course by five First Team All-MSC golfers, including PING All-Midwest Region selections Johan Bredenkamp, Rio Saigal, Stanley White, and Toby White. Saigal was named MSC Player of the Year and PING First Team All-American while Stanley White was the MSC Freshman of the Year.

Ranked No. 1 via Scoreboard powered by Clippd since at least October 16, Williams guided Midland to five team victories, six runner-ups, and three other top-three finishes in his eighth season in Midland. Their wins included the program's fifth national championship, the NJCAA Region 5 Championship, and the TankLogix & Tall City Exploration Collegiate. The Chaparrals competed in three tournaments each hosted by NCAA Division I and NCAA Division II programs and were led on the course by PING All-Americans Harrison Sewell, Scott Spark, and Bryce Womack. Williams was the NJCAA Division I Dave Williams National Coach of the Year in 2019, 2020, and 2022. 

Thornton earned his second straight NJCAA Division II Dave Williams National Coach of the Year Award after guiding Mississippi Gulf Coast to 10 wins in their last 11 tournaments and three other top-three finishes this season. Their wins included the Bulldogs' second straight national championship, fifth straight NJCAA Gulf District Championship, and third straight Missisippi Association of Community Colleges Conference (MACCC) Championship. They were led on the course by PING All-Americans Stanley Campbell, John Mark Mills, and Peyton Russell. Campbell won the individual national championship and Arnold Palmer National Individual Champion Award.

2025 Dave Williams National Coach of the Year Award Presented by Golf Pride Grips

Division I - Alan Bratton, Oklahoma State

Division II - Mark Hull, Colorado Christian

Division III - Pete Gyscek, Washington & Lee

NAIA - Chris Butler, Lindsey Wilson

NJCAA Division I - Walt Williams, Midland

NJCAA Division II - Brad Thornton, Mississippi Gulf Coast

2025 Golf Pride Grips Region and District Coaches of the Year

Division I

Northeast - Will Green, Princeton

East - Bowen Sargent, Virginia

Southeast - JC Deacon, Florida

Midwest - Steve Bailey, Marquette

Central - Alan Bratton, Oklahoma State

West - Armen Kirakossian, UCLA

Division II

East - Stephen Ferrara, St. Thomas Aquinas

Atlantic - Will Johnson, Charleston (WV)

Southeast - Bryson Worley, North Georgia

South - Steve Fell, West Florida

Midwest - Gareth Lappin, Grand Valley State

Central - Derrick Thompson, Central Oklahoma

South Central - Mark Hull, Colorado Christian

West - Alan Sue, Cal State East Bay

Division III

Region I - Elizabeth Geene, Amherst

Region II - Dan Wesley, Rochester

Region III - Jason Badecki, Gettysburg

Region IV - Steve Conley, Methodist

Region V - Dan Rodgers, Carnegie Mellon

Region VI - Justin Wyeth, Aurora

Region VII - Sean Etheredge, Trinity (TX)

NAIA

Midwest - Chris Butler, Lindsey Wilson

South - Brandon Miller, Keiser

Central - Scott Seymour, MidAmerica Nazarene

West - Blake Trimble, Oklahoma City

NJCAA Division I

Southeast - Daniel Allen, Central Alabama

Central - Chris Young, Hutchinson

South Central - Walt Williams, Midland

West - Zach Smith, Eastern Wyoming

NJCAA Division II

North - Darrin York, Heartland

South - Brad Thornton, Mississippi Gulf Coast

About the MACCC

The Mississippi Association of Community Colleges Conference (MACCC)  is one of the premier community college conferences in the country and ranks among the elite in the nation in terms of alumni on professional sports teams. 

Current championship competition offered by the league includes competition for men in baseball, basketball, football, golf, soccer and tennis.  

Women's competition is offered in the sports of basketball, soccer, softball, tennis and volleyball. 

Follow the MACCC

For complete coverage of the Mississippi Association of Community Colleges Conference, please follow the MACCC on social media at @MACCCAthletics (Threads), @MACCCAthletics (Facebook), and @MACCCAthletics (Instagram) or visit the official website,  www.MACCCAthletics.com.