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January 24
JAMES MADISON
James Madison Director of Athletics Jeff Bourne announced Carter Cheves has been extended as head coach of the men’s golf program through the 2027-28 season.
“Carter has been a positive presence and steadying force for our men’s golf program at James Madison,” Bourne said. “He inherited the program amid the COVID pandemic with his first competitive season a shortened spring campaign in 2021 before then facing CAA ineligibility due to transition in 2022. As the program moved to the Sun Belt, the team had a respectable first season in 2022-23 and has already climbed significantly in Sun Belt rankings based upon Fall results this year. He is a positive role model leading our student-athletes not only on the golf course but in all aspects of their collegiate experience. We’re excited for him to continue leading the young men in our golf program.”
Cheves has been part of the JMU men’s golf program for 10 years, first serving as an assistant coach from 2013-2018. After one year away from the program, he returned in 2019 to serve as associate head coach for one year before being named head coach in the summer of 2020. He served one year as head coach at Ohio for the 2018-19 season before returning to James Madison. He also filled the head coaching role for three seasons at Western Carolina prior to his first JMU stint.
Cheves graduated from UNCW in 2008 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. Prior to UNCW, he played for two years at NC State.
USC UPSTATE
USC Upstate head men’s and women’s golf coach Todd Lawton has announced the hire of Matt Smith as the program’s assistant coach for the men’s and women’s programs.
Smith joins USC Upstate after two seasons as the head men’s golf coach at his alma mater, Truett McConnell University, in Cleveland, Georgia.
In 2022-23, TMU recorded the best season in program history, being ranked as high as No. 13 nationally at the close of the fall season. TMU would go on to claim the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) championship, earning a bid to the NAIA National Championships.
Smith was tabbed AAC Coach of the Year with student-athlete Caden Sanders bringing home AAC medalist honors. Both awards were firsts in program history. Competing in the National Championship, the Bears made the cut for the final round as a team and finished 13th (of 29 teams), marking the best finish in program history.
“I am thrilled to add Matt to our golf staff and look forward to his experience and golf acumen giving our players another resource to get the most out of their games on the course and life off the course,” said USC Upstate head men’s and women’s golf coach Todd Lawton. “As an accomplished player on his own, he brings a strong resume that will help him make an immediate impact. As a person, he is a man of high integrity and moral character and that resonated with me in the process of hiring our newest assistant coach.”
January 23
PEPPERDINE
Jason Allred, a 2014 Pepperdine Athletics Hall of Fame inductee and the first-ever recipient of the prestigious Byron Nelson Award, has been hired as an assistant coach at Pepperdine.
“I’m very thankful Jason is with us,” said head coach Michael Beard. “He will bring experience, competitiveness, a passion to serve, as well as a relational approach. Jason’s high character and love for Pepperdine will make this an easy transition for everyone involved with our program.”
Most recently, Allred has enjoyed working with a Christian Ministry called College Golf Fellowship (CGF) and continues to enjoy the opportunity of serving the world of collegiate and professional players through CGF.
Allred competed for the Waves from 1998-2002, helping lead the squad to West Coast Conference titles all four years he was in the lineup. The team advanced to the NCAA Championships twice, finishing in a tie for 23rd place in 2000 and eighth place in 2002.
He also earned a major prize given for the first time in 2002, the Byron Nelson Award, which is presented to a graduating men’s senior by the GCAA. The honor takes into account a nominee’s entire academic career, college golf career and his character and integrity while in college.
Allred, who is from Ashland, Oregon, arrived at Pepperdine with a victory at the 1997 U.S. Junior Championships.
After graduating, Allred reached golf’s highest level when he earned PGA Tour cards in 2005, 2008 and 2014. Other years, he competed on the Korn Ferry Tour. Throughout his career Allred competed in five major championships, 70 PGA Tour events and 152 tournaments on the Korn Ferry Tour.
January 23
TROY
Nathan Griffin is the new assistant coach for the Troy men’s and women’s golf teams. Griffin joins the Troy staff following a stint as the assistant tournament director for the Alabama Junior Golf Organization.
Prior to his run with the AJGO, Griffin was an operations and administration assistant for the Auburn men’s and women’s golf teams during the fall of 2022, following a year as a graduate assistant for the Jacksonville State athletics department during the 2021-22 athletics season.
Griffin began his professional career as a first teaching assistant at Cider Ridge for 15 months before moving into the assistant pro role at the club for 18 months before moving into the collegiate athletics realm at Jacksonville State.
He was a four-year letterwinner at Faulkner.
January 10
NC STATE
North Carolina State women’s golf coach Page Marsh has made the decision to retire effective immediately. Marsh has served as head coach since its re-establishment in 2000,
Darby Sligh, who joined the Wolfpack staff in June 2018, will succeed Marsh as the program’s next head coach. Sligh just wrapped up her fifth season with the Wolfpack after previously serving as the head coach at Illinois State for 11 seasons (2007-18). “After 24 years, the time has come for me to retire from an extremely rewarding career here at NC State,” said Marsh. “I am so proud to have witnessed all the growth and incredible achievements these student-athletes have gained on and off the golf course. Thank you to all who have enriched my life in so many ways. I wish everyone associated with NC State continued success as you navigate the path to fulfill your dreams.”Marsh, who was named 2002 ACC Coach of the Year, has guided NC State to 11 team tournament wins, 19 NCAA Regional Championship appearances and four NCAA Championship team berths over the last 23 years.
January 10
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS
Southern Illinois’ Cindy Bodmer announced she will retire at the end of the 2023-24 season.
Bodmer has served as SIU’s women’s golf coach since September of 2022. She is well-known in the local golf community for starting the women’s golf program at Rend Lake College in 1999 and guiding that program to 15 NJCAA National Championship appearances.
“It was an absolute pleasure to work alongside Coach Bodmer these last two seasons,” said SIU Director of Golf Justin Fetcho. “She poured everything she had into the program, and I can’t thank her enough for her contributions both on and off the course. We wish Cindy the absolute best in her retirement and know that she will always be a Saluki.”
After her first season at Southern, Bodmer overhauled the program’s roster by bringing in six freshmen for the 2023-24 campaign.
“Leaving a program is never easy, but I take great comfort in the knowledge it is in great hands moving forward,” Bodmer said. “Coach Fetcho is a proven winner, and I feel fortunate to have worked with him these last two years. I also want to give a shout-out to my dedicated assistant coach, Sarah Haas, for her unwavering commitment to our student athletes. During my time at SIU, teaming with the athletic staff and coaches here was an amazing experience, one I will always hold dear.”
Southern Illinois will conduct a national search this spring to hire Bodmer’s successor.