2023 Jan Strickland Award presented by TaylorMade Golf Company Finalists Announced
NORMAN, Okla. — Bo Andrews of Tennessee, Justin Bardgett of Illinois, Dudley Hart of Florida, Isaiah Logue of Keiser, and Chris Williams of Auburn have been named finalists for the 2023 Jan Strickland Outstanding Assistant Coach Award presented by TaylorMade Golf Company. The Strickland Award is presented annually to the NCAA Division I, II, III, NAIA, or NJCAA assistant coach that, among other things, has excelled in working with their student-athletes both on the course and in the classroom.
Andrews helped Tennessee to a program-record scoring average and record-tying three team victories, four individual titles, and their highest NCAA Regional seed in program history (No. 2 in the Auburn Regional) during his fifth season in Knoxville. The Volunteers were led on the course by Caleb Surratt, the SEC Individual Champion and Freshman of the Year and the first First-Team All-American in program history, a 2023 Arnold Palmer Cup participant, and PING All-Southeast Region golfer Bryce Lewis.
Working alongside Big Ten and Golfweek Men’s Coach of the Year Mike Small, Bardgett helped the Fighting Illini to the most tournament wins in NCAA Division I (seven), a nation’s-best 172-9-3 head-to-head record, and the final No.1 ranking via Golfstat in 2022-23. Illinois had two PING First-Team All-Americans, the most for one season in program history, a school record-tying five PING All-Midwest Region selections, and a spring team GPA of 3.60 while winning their eighth straight Big Ten Championship. Bardgett accepted a new role as Director of Collegiate Relations with PGA TOUR University at the conclusion of the season.
Hart and Dave Williams Division I National Coach of the Year and SEC Coach of the Year J.C. Deacon led Florida to six team victories, including their first SEC Championship in 12 years and their fifth NCAA Division I Men’s Golf Championship, six individual titles, and top-10 finishes in all 13 2022-23 tournaments. The Gators were led on the course by a program record-tying four PING All-Americans, including First-Teamer and NCAA Division I Arnold Palmer National Individual Champion Fred Biondi.
In his first season as assistant men’s and women’s coach, Logue and Sun Conference Coach of the Year Brandon Miller led Keiser to six wins and 10 top-five finishes in 2022-23, including their third straight top-three finish at the NAIA National Championship. The Seahawks were the top-ranked team in every Bushnell/Golfweek NAIA Coaches Poll but the March 24 edition and were led on the course by four NAIA PING All-Americans, including Sun Conference Golfer of the Year and First-Team NAIA Academic All-American Isac Wallin. Off the course, Logue and Miller's Seahawks recorded a 3.75 (men) and 3.52 (women) cumulative GPA in 2022-23.
Williams helped guide Auburn to a school record and nation’s best 278.70 team scoring average, five team victories, and their second consecutive top-10 national finish in his second season with the Tigers. The five tournament wins tied a program record from 1997. Auburn ended the fall slate with a No. 1 national ranking thanks to victories in three of four fall events. Williams joined head coach Nick Clinard to coach eight SEC Golfers of the Week, three All-SEC selections, four PING All-Region honorees, and two PING Honorable Mention All-Americans.
TaylorMade Golf Company has sponsored the Jan Strickland Outstanding Assistant Coach Award since its inception in 2003.
Previous Recipients
2022 - Matt Clark, North Carolina
2021 - Bill Allcorn, Oklahoma
2020 - Jean-Paul Hebert, Texas
2019 - Armen Kirakossian, Arizona State
2018 - Corey Maggard, Auburn
2017 - Ryan Blagg, Baylor
2016 - Andrew DiBitetto, North Carolina
2015 - John Handrigan, Florida
2014 - Chris Hill, Houston
2013 - Ryan Murphy, Texas
2012 - Jim Anderson, Texas A&M
2011 - Christian Newton, Georgia Tech
2010 - Michael Burcin, South Carolina
2009 - Brian Sharp, Virginia Tech
2008 - Walter Chun, California
2007 - Andy Bischel, UNLV
2006 - John Knauer, Arizona
2005 - Greg Robertson, Purdue
2004 - Bowen Sargent, Tennessee
2003 - Mike McGraw, Oklahoma State