NORMAN, Okla. - Murray State College men's golf coach - Lukas Coppedge - has been recognized among the nation's top coaches, earning the 2026 NJCAA Division II Dave Williams National Coach of the Year Award and the 2026 NJCAA Division II Golf Pride Grips Central Region Coach of the Year Award.

The honors recognize Coppedge's outstanding leadership and the remarkable success of the Aggies during the 2025-26 season. Under his guidance, Murray State College men's golf won the program's first National Championship in program history a few weeks ago.

The Dave Williams National Coach of the Year Award is one of the most prestigious honors in collegiate golf, recognizing coaches who demonstrate exceptional leadership, program development, and competitive success. Coppedge's selection highlights the impact he has made on the Aggie golf program and the respect he has earned across the national golf community.

Coach Coppedge is Murray State College's first Dave Williams Award recipient. The Aggies carded eight top-five finishes, including in seven of their last nine tournaments, and won six times in Coppedge's fourth season at the helm. In addition to winning the NJCAA Division II Men's Golf Championship by seven strokes, Murray State also won the NJCAA South Central District/Region 16 Championship by 22 strokes, the Seminole Invitational by 17 strokes, and the NJCAA Region 2 Championship by 36 strokes.

Co-champions of the Charles Cooper Classic and winners of the Aggie Invitational by 21 strokes, the Aggies were led on the course by PING All-Central Region performers Luca Bordoni, Shashank Koirala, Joss Lopez, Connor Tallentire, and Keegan Westlake. Koirala, Lopez, Tallentire, and Westlake were named PING All-Americans, and the program's first NJCAA Division II Individual Champion Tallentire earned their first NJCAA Division II Phil Mickelson Outstanding Freshman Award presented by StrackaLine.

In addition to receiving national recognition, Coppedge was named the 2026 NJCAA Division II Golf Pride Grips Central Region Coach of the Year. He was selected as the top coach in the Central Region alongside fellow regional honorees Lance Strickland of Meridian Community College in the South Region and Darrin York of Heartland Community College in the North Region.

Sports Information Director: Justin Wagner | jgwagner@mscok.edu
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