Subscribe
Latest
Oct 23CGN+ WGCA Women’s Golf Rankings: Division III: Emory Secures Unanimous No. 1 Ranking Oct 23CGN+ WGCA Women’s Golf Rankings: Division II: Dallas Baptist Remains Atop Rankings Oct 23CGN+ WGCA Women’s Golf Rankings: Division I: Wake Forest Maintains No. 1 Ranking Oct 23CGN+ Player Highlight and Interview: Evan Rogers Continues Winning Ways at Chattanooga Oct 22BYU Wins Rainbow Wahine Invitational, Maria Jose Barragan Claims Individual Title Oct 22CGN+ Player Highlight and Interview: James Hassell Builds Momentum at High Point Oct 21CGN+ Week 8 Champions Recap: Oral Roberts, Chattanooga, Georgia Southern and UNCG Claim Team Titles Oct 21Scoreboard powered by Clippd Division III Fall Golf Rankings: Emory Maintains No. 1 Spots in Men’s and Women’s Golf Oct 21Scoreboard powered by Clippd Division II Fall Golf Rankings: Georgia Southwestern Takes Men’s No. 1 Spot, Dallas Baptist Remains Atop Women’s Rankings Oct 21Scoreboard powered by Clippd Division I Fall Golf Rankings: Oklahoma State Takes Men’s No. 1 Spot, Wake Forest Remains Atop Women’s Rankings Oct 21BYU Takes 11 Stroke Lead at Rainbow Wahine Invitational, Maria Jose Barragan Leads Individual Standings Oct 21CGN+ Player Highlight and Interview: Louise Depadt’s Winning Start at Oklahoma State Oct 20 Texas A&M Maintains Lead at The Fin, Mississippi State’s Alicia Bellendir Takes Individual Lead Oct 20Eastern Michigan and BYU Share Rainbow Wahine Invitational Lead, Zoe Duval and Emilia Schneider Tied for First Individually Oct 20Arkansas, Illinois and South Carolina Share Fallen Oak Collegiate Invitational Title, LSU’s Daniel Hayes Wins Individual Championship
All news →

NAIA

Five Coaches Selected as Finalists for 2026 NAIA Dave Williams Award

By Matthew Goldstein 1 min read
Graphic announcing the five finalists for the 2026 NAIA Dave Williams Award, featuring the NAIA and Golf Pride logos alongside finalists Stephen Main of Missouri Valley College, Brandon Miller of Keiser University, Evans Nichols of Reinhardt University, Ben Rickett of Dalton State College, and Blake Trimble of Oklahoma City University.
Five coaches have been selected as finalists for the 2026 NAIA Dave Williams Award, recognizing excellence in collegiate golf coaching.
Share

Five coaches have been named finalists for the 2026 NAIA Dave Williams Coach of the Year Award presented by Golf Pride Grips. Missouri Valley’s Stephen Main, Keiser’s Brandon Miller, Reinhardt’s Evans Nichols, Dalton State’s Ben Rickett and Oklahoma City’s Blake Trimble make up this year’s finalist group.

The award recognizes the top men’s golf coach across NCAA Division I, II and III, NAIA and NJCAA competition.

Main guided Missouri Valley to seven wins in its last nine events during his third season leading the program. The Vikings enter the NAIA Men’s Golf Championship on a four tournament winning streak and captured the Heart of America Conference Championship by 12 shots. Missouri Valley also posted a program record 50 under total at the MVC Fall Invitational.

Miller earned finalist recognition for the sixth time in the last seven years after leading Keiser to six team victories this season. The Seahawks held the No. 1 ranking in every Scoreboard powered by Clippd poll and won four of their final five events entering nationals, including the Sun Conference Championship by 24 shots.

Nichols helped Reinhardt secure four victories and nine top five finishes this season. The Eagles won the AAC Direct Qualifier by 34 shots and claimed three fall tournament titles. Nichols also received AAC Coach of the Year honors for the second straight season.

Rickett’s Dalton State squad won five of its final seven tournaments, including three straight entering the national championship. The Roadrunners also secured a fourth consecutive SSAC Championship while Rickett collected his eighth career conference coach of the year award.

Trimble led Oklahoma City to six victories during the season, highlighted by the program’s first Sooner Athletic Conference Championship since 2021. The Stars won five of their last eight tournaments and finished the year ranked second nationally.

All five finalists are coaching this week at the NAIA Men’s Golf Championship at TPC Deere Run in Illinois.

Source: GCAA Release

More onNAIAMen's Golf

More stories

See all →

Newsletter

Join the CGN+ Newsletter

Results, rankings, and stories from across the amateur game.