EFSC's Howell wins Coach of the Year award

Photo courtesy of Eastern Florida State College
Photo courtesy of Eastern Florida State College

MELBOURNE, Fla. (June 8, 2015) - The awards continue to roll in for Eastern Florida State College’s golf program.

Today head coach Jamie Howell received the Dave Williams National Coach of the Year Award presented by Golf Pride Grips as the top coach in NJCAA Division I.

The Williams Award was a first for Howell who has directed the Titans program for 13 seasons. Earlier this spring Howell was named NJCAA District 4 Coach of the Year for the fifth time.

"The athletics programming here at Eastern Florida has continued to flourish under the leadership of our Athletics Associate Vice President Jeff Carr," said Eastern Florida State College President Dr. Jim Richey. "Coach Howell's latest honor is proof that the excellence we are seeing with our teams is marked by the high caliber of our coaching staff. Our coaches continue to strive for new heights, providing our players with the tools they need to be competitive and challenging them daily to be the best they can be. We are proud of Coach Howell and congratulate him on this honor."

Eastern Florida's golf team reached the NJCAA Men’s Division I National Championship tournament for the 13th straight year and finished second, its best result under Howell.

This season’s other Williams award winners were coaches Mike Small of Illinois (NCAA Division I), Ryan Jamison of Nova Southeastern (NCAA Division II), Steve Conley of Methodist (NCAA Division III), Mike Cook of Coastal Georgia (NAIA), and Andy Walker of South Mountain (NJCAA Division II).

"It was quite a surprise and humbling to say the least,” Howell said. “Awards such as this are a direct product of three areas, the performance of the team, the coaches who vote for coach of the year, and support from our athletic department and administration."

Also this season, Titan golfer Kerry Sweeney was awarded first team PING and first team NJCAA All-American status, won the Phil Mickelson Award Presented by the Phil and Amy Mickelson Foundation as the most outstanding freshman in NJCAA Division I Men’s Golf and the Jack Nicklaus Award as the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) Collegiate Player of the Year at the NJCAA level.

“Our guys had a terrific season and it is an honor to coach them," said Howell. "With the leadership of Kerry Sweeney and Mickey DeMorat, I am quite positive anyone coaching them would have had a memorable coaching year. I look forward to coaching them both and their teammates, again, this coming season.

“Our fellow coaches determine who the candidates are for coach of the year and to even be on the ballot is an honor as each coach on the ballot has achieved a number of milestones through the performance of their respective team."