2025 Dave Williams National Coach of the Year Award presented by Golf Pride Grips Announced
NORMAN, Okla. – 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 Golf Pride Grips
For over seven decades, we’ve been the global leader in golf grip innovation and technology, from the invention of the slip-on grip to groundbreaking advancements in cord with our new Brushed Cotton Technology (BCT®) to the introduction of the hybrid category of grips. Today, Golf Pride® has laid claim to more major wins than any other grip company. More than 80% of Tour professionals choose to play our grips and not one is paid to do so. And in this age of multi-million dollar endorsement deals, that’s the strongest endorsement of all. So, whether you’re a Tour pro playing a major, a rising amateur, or an everyday golfer, you can rest assured knowing you’re playing the #1 Grip in Golf. To learn more about Golf Pride®, go to golfpride.com.