Snell named national Coach of the Year

PERKINSTON — The Golf Coaches Association of America has named Mississippi Gulf Coast's Tommy Snell the Dave Williams Coach of the Year presented by Golf Pride Grips.

"It's something to be honored by the people who voted you in. you just kind of are at a loss for words," Snell said. "It's such an honor to be recognized that way."

Golf Pride Grips will present the coaches with their awards during the Hall of Fame Banquet at the GCAA National Convention in Las Vegas on December 3.

Snell led the Bulldogs to the program's first national championship last month when the team shot 9-under to win the NJCAA Division I Men's Golf Championship by one shot. It was the team's fifth win in 13 events, with another five second-place finishes. They never finished outside the top four and won the District D Championship, the school's 10th region/district win in the last 11 years.

All five Mississippi Gulf Coast golfers received NJCAA All-America honors. The Bulldogs were ranked No. 1 for four rankings in the NJCAA Division II Bushnell Golfweek Coaches Poll. Snell previously was named a Williams Award recipient in 2008.

Oklahoma State's Alan Bratton (NCAA Division I), Lynn's Andrew Danna (NCAA Division II), Methodist's Steve Conley (NCAA Division III), Oklahoma City's Kyle Blaser (NAIA) and Indian Hills' Nathan Weant (NJCAA Division I) were the other winners of the award. Snell also won the Central District Coach of the Year Award.

Snell has coached at MGCCC since 2000, and he was inducted into the NJCAA Men's Golf Coaches Hall of Fame. The school has sent players to the national tournament every year since 2002, and the Bulldogs have finished in the top five at the national tournament the last five years.

This year's team saw its final round interrupted by a late weather delay at GlenLakes Golf Club in Foley, Ala. Gulf Coast held off fellow MACJC school Meridian for the victory.

"I don't win this award without them, especially the way they performed down the stretch," Snell said. "To know after that rain delay with those three very difficult holes left that we had a one-shot lead, they all played so well on those holes. It's just a testament to their grit and their skill."

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