Finalists Announced for 2022 NCAA Division I Dave Williams Coach of the Year Award presented by Golf Pride Grips
NORMAN, Okla. — NCAA Division I finalists for the 2022 Dave Williams Award presented by Golf Pride Grips have been announced by the GCAA. The Williams Award honors the national coach of the year in NCAA Division I men’s golf.
The five finalists are Jake Amos of East Tennessee State, Andrew DiBitetto of North Carolina, Ryan Hybl of Oklahoma, Scott Limbaugh of Vanderbilt, and Matt Thurmond of Arizona State.
Amos, the Southern Conference Coach of the Year, helped lead East Tennessee State to eight top-five finishes in 2021-22, including three victories. The Buccaneers were led by four All-SoCon athletes and are competing this week in the NCAA Championships.
DiBitetto was named ACC Coach of the Year and three of his players earned All-ACC First Team honors in 2021-22. The Tar Heels won three tournaments, including both September 2021 events, and are competing in their fifth-straight NCAA Championships this week.
Hybl led the Sooners to seven wins this season, which ties a single-season school record. The nation’s No. 1 overall seed won the Big 12 Conference Championship and NCAA Norman Regional. Three golfers earned All-Big 12 Tournament honors, including Chris Gotterup and Logan McAllister, who are two of the top-three ranked players in Division I according to Golfstat.
Limbaugh and the Commodores finished in the top two in every tournament they played in this spring, winning six times. The SEC Coach of the Year fielded three All-SEC players, including Golfstat’s fifth-ranked golfer Cole Sherwood and SEC Freshman of the Year Gordon Sargent, both of whom will be representing Team USA in the 2022 Arnold Palmer Cup.
Thurmond led Arizona State to four wins in 2021-22, including the NCAA Stockton Regional. Five Sun Devils made All-Pac 12 Conference teams, including two All-Freshman and a school-record four first-teamers.
All five finalists are coaching this week at the 2022 NCAA Division I Championships at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona.
About Golf Pride Grips
Since its founding in 1949, Golf Pride has become synonymous with the highest quality performance equipment in golf. Today, from its Global Innovation Center (GIC) in Pinehurst, NC, Golf Pride continues to lead in grip innovation by continuing to obsess over the only connection between our golfers’ hands and the club. That’s why more than 80% of the world’s highest-performing golfers choose Golf Pride. For professionals, top amateurs, and recreational golfers of all skill levels, Golf Pride sets the standard - in performance and style. To learn more about Golf Pride, go to golfpride.com.