MACON, Ga. – Mercer Director of Athletics Jim Cole announced the hiring of Michele Drinkard as the university’s next women’s golf coach on Monday morning.
“We are pleased to welcome Michele Drinkard to Mercer as the head coach of our women’s golf program,” Cole said. “Michele’s teams have displayed a proven track record of success both on the course and in the classroom and we are excited about the energy and leadership she brings to this program.”
Drinkard brings a strong resume to the Bears’ women’s golf program, as the 12-year veteran of the head-coaching ranks spent eight seasons at Ole Miss after leading the Birmingham Southern program for four years. During that time, Drinkard’s teams have made seven NCAA appearances and had individuals qualify for NCAA Regional play on two separate occasions.
“I am thrilled to have this opportunity that Jim Cole and Sybil Blalock have provided for me at Mercer,” said Drinkard. “There is a great foundation of young talent in the women’s golf program and I’m looking forward to developing these young ladies and helping them reach their highest attainable goals.”
Drinkard reignited Ole Miss women’s golf during her eight-year tenure with the Rebels, taking over a program that finished at the bottom of the Southeastern Conference standings to and leading it to five straight NCAA Regional appearances from 2009 to 2013.
Prior to her time at Ole Miss, Drinkard spent six seasons at Birmingham Southern, including four as head coach. She led the Panthers to back-to-back NCAA appearances while coaching the 2006 and 2007 Big South Scholar Athlete of the Year and the 2007 Big South Player of the Year.
A member of the Women’s Golf Coaches Association All-America and Awards Committee, Drinkard has coached 15 all-conference performers during her career. That list includes Ole Miss’ first All-American, Dori Carter, one of Drinkard’s six former players that are currently on the LPGA Tour.
Drinkard’s teams have also had success off the course, as 20 student-athletes earned WGCA All-American Scholar honors and more than 30 players have been named to the WGCA All-Scholar team. Her 2009 team Ole Miss earned the Chancellor’s Cup for the highest grade-point average among the department’s women’s sports, while two former players were named to the prestigious University of Mississippi Taylor Medalist list.
Her success as a coach and an instructor has also been rewarded. Drinkard was named the Dixie Section PGA Teacher of the Year and is a three-time Top 50 Teacher by Golf for Women magazine, while also garnering Big South Coach of the Year honors in 2006 and 2007.
At Mercer, she will take over a program that returns five of its top six players from the 2014-15 campaign. The Bears will also be helped by a celebrated recruiting class that includes four players ranked among the top 100 players in the 2015 class by Golfweek/Sagarin.
“I’m excited to get started,” added Drinkard. “We will establish our culture during this first year and work with the strong foundation already laid to begin pushing for conference championships and NCAA tournament appearances.”