Derrick Brown Enters 12th Year As Head SIUE Men's Golf Coach

EDWARDSVILLE - The 2018-19 Ohio Valley Conference Coach of the Year, Derrick Brown is now in his 12th season as the Head Coach for SIUE men's golf.

Equipped with a background in both coaching and administration, Brown has served as the men's head coach since the 2009-2010 season, and also spent three seasons (2013-2016) overseeing both the men's and women's programs.

Brown oversaw the development of another Ohio Valley Conference all-newcomer team member when freshman Tanner Collins was named to the squad following the 2019-20 season. He is the fifth all-newcomer selection for the Cougars under Brown.

The 2019-20 team earned an Outstanding Team Academic Award from the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA), which marked the 10^th consecutive award for SIUE. In addition, three golfers Brooks Jungbluth, Parker McEachern and Presley Mackelburg were recognized as Second Wave Srixon/Cleveland All-America Scholars by the GCAA.

In December, 2019, a long-time dream was realized when the Harry Gallatin Golf Practice facility was dedicated. A joint venture between SIUE Athletics and Sunset Hills Country Club, the 1,840 square-foot indoor practice facility is named in honor of legendary SIUE coach and supporter, the late Harry Gallatin, who envisioned a first-class facility that would increase student-athlete training opportunities.

Brown earned the 2018-19 honor after leading SIUE to the best scoring average in the OVC during the regular season for the second year in a row. The team’s overall scoring average of 290.3 is the best in school history. The Cougars captured two tournament championships, which is the most in a season in SIUE's Division I era, while also garnering four other top-five finishes during the season. SIUE registered 14 rounds at or below par, which also was the most in school history. The team finished with a head-to-head record of 80-51-6 which included a 19-10-4 record against OVC competition.

Following the season, the Cougars earned their ninth consecutive All-Academic Team Award from the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCA

Kyle Slattery and Conor Dore concluded stellar careers under Brown in 2019.

Slattery finished the year with the best scoring average for a season in SIUE history at 71.8. He also broke the school record for career scoring average at 73.6. He finished with 14 career rounds in the 60s and 11 top-10 finishes, both school bests. Slattery played 123 rounds during his Cougar career, also a school record.

Dore finished the season with an eighth-place finish at the OVC Championship with a 213-the lowest 54-hole total for SIUE at the OVC Championship. He carded a 68 in the first round which is the best mark for an SIUE golfer at the OVC Championship. Dore finished his season with a 72.5 scoring average, the third lowest for a season in school history. His career average of 74.1 is second best all-time. Dore competed in 115 rounds in his career, the third most at SIUE. His 10 career top-10 finishes are third most at SIUE. He tied for the top spot with 14 career rounds in the 60s.

During his time with the Cougars, Brown has coached six All-Ohio Valley Conference honorees, including Kyle Slattery and Conor Dore in 2019. Slattery and Jordan Harre earned recognition in 2018, while Luke Long (2017) and Colin McCarty (2013) also earned the honor. Brown has mentored one Freshman of the Year (Long in 2017) and five OVC All-newcomer team members: Brooks Jungbluth in 2018, Long in 2017, Mitchell Homb in 2012, Jordan Peters in 2014 and women’s golfer Madison Frerking in 2015. Four different Cougars have claimed nine individual tournament titles under Brown (Slattery-3, N.McCarty-2, C.McCarty-2, Homb-1, Ali Gorman-1).

Brown has recruited ten high school state champions from six different states (Arizona, Arkansas, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri and South Dakota) to SIUE.

Under Brown, the program resurrected its home golf tournament, now known as the SIUE Derek Dolenc Invitational presented by DoubleTree. The tournament has been contested eight times and is named for SIUE Golf Alumnus Derek Dolenc. SIUE is 90-12 in its home tournament, with four team wins and two runner-up finishes in that time.

Most recently, SIUE defended their championships in 2018, winning by 12 shots with Kyle Slattery taking home medalist honors. The Cougars also won the event in 2017 by an impressive 19 shots. In 2015 took home the team title while establishing then two new 18-hole (272, 281) and 54-hole (844) school records in the process.

The 2017-18 Cougars finished off a strong season by establishing a then-single-season scoring record of 291.4. SIUE established new school records at the Loyola Intercollegiate by shooting rounds of 270 (-18) and 829 (-35) on its way to a runner up team finish. Along with their win at the SIUE Derek Dolenc Invitational and runner up finish at the Loyola Intercollegiate, the Cougars also finished runner up at the Missouri State Twin Oaks Intercollegiate. The Cougars held a head-to-head record of 91-53-3 for the season.

Individually, three Cougars moved into the top 10 in school history for single season scoring average, Slattery-72.8(3rd), Harre-73.2(7th), Gorman-73.5(10th). Gorman also tied the school record shooting 64 in the 2nd round of the Loyola Intercollegiate.

At the conclusion of the season, SIUE was named an All-Academic Team for the 8th consecutive year and a total of 5 Cougars were named GCAA All-America Scholars (Gorman, Slattery, Glendinning, Dixon, Dore), a feat only matched by 2 other teams in NCAA the past 10 years.

The 2016-17 Cougars finished off a strong spring season with their best-ever finish at the OVC Championship. SIUE earned a third-place finish capping off a spring which saw the Cougars conclude the year with five consecutive top-four team finishes.

SIUE recorded a 282 in the first round of the OVC Tournament to lead the tournament, and tie the school's fourth-best 18-hole total.

At season's end, the 2016-17 team had recorded a 295.2 scoring average, establishing a new school record.

Individually, Long and Conor Dore tied for fourth at the OVC Championship and each earned a spot on the All-Tournament Team.

Every member of the 2016-17 team lowered their scoring average from the previous season, while four of six returning players enjoyed career-bests with regards to scoring average.

During the 2015-16 season, Madison Frerking and Ali Gorman broke the single season scoring average record 79.25 and 79.37 respectively. Gorman became only the second SIUE women’s golfer to shoot a round in the 60's when she carded a 69 at the Butler Fall Invitational. She now owns the top two SIUE 36-hole individual records. Brittney Jostes moved into the third best 54-hole individual total with a 233 at the ORU/SFA Spring Invite.

On the men’s side, freshman Kyle Slattery had three top-10 individual finishes including finishing seventh at the Ohio Valley Conference championship. The Cougars took home the team title at the Derek Dolenc Invite, winning over 15 teams including seven from the OVC. Parker Lawrence fired a 204 at the tournament to take over the second best 54-hole individual total in school history.

In 2014-15 the Cougar women established a number of records including the season scoring mark of 320.7. The team also set new 36-hole and 54-hole totals records. Individually, Gorman became the program’s first NCAA Division I medalist when she captured the title at SIU Carbondale’s Saluki Shootout. Gorman’s 36-hole total of 146 was the lowest in school history. Senior Ashton Stair (226) and Frerking (230) turned in the best two 54-hole totals in school history at South Dakota State’s Jackrabbit Invitational. Frerking set a new individual single-season scoring record (79.6) in her freshman season.

Off the course, five women (Frerking, Gorman, Molly Marcum, Brittney Jostes, and Stair) were honored as Scholar All-Americans by the Women’s Golf Coaches Association (WGCA).

SIUE scored three top-five finishes in tournaments during the 2014-2015 season. For the third straight year, the Cougars finished eighth at the OVC Championship.

On the men’s side, the Cougars turned in a pair of top-five finishes during 2014-15. SIUE finished ninth in its third appearance at the OVC Championship. Senior Mitchell Homb became the career record holder in rounds played, finishing his career at 117 rounds.

Brown’s 2013-14 men’s team returned to the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament, where it earned its best finish at sixth overall.

In 2013-14, the team turned in several strong efforts, as well as many notable individual achievements. Coach Brown helped freshman Jordan Peters excel during his first year on campus. The Delano, Minnesota native was named to the Ohio Valley Conference All-Newcomer team. Peters’ average round score of 75.2 was the second-best mark on the team.

Homb earned medalist honors at SIUE’s Derek Dolenc Invitational as a junior, notching his first-ever tournament title. The team also achieved success at the Derek Dolenc Invitational, finishing second. Brown’s 2013-14 team totaled 21 rounds at or under par.

Brown’s instruction helped senior Taylor Cox lower his scoring average two strokes during his final season as a Cougar, finishing with a career-best 74.7. Overall, the Columbia, Mo. native garnered five top-20 finishes in his final season of competition.

Cox and Taylor White each earned All-America Scholar honors from the Golf Coaches Association of Amerca (GCAA).

In his first season at the helm for the women’s golf team, Brown helped SIUE break the team season scoring average record. Brown’s 2013-14 women’s squad broke both the 18-hole and 36-hole school records at Evansville’s Charles Braun Invitational.

Brown oversaw a Cougar team that featured six players that notched top-10 finishes. The best individual finish was Ashton Stair’s second-place finish at the SIUE Invitational. Every returning player lowered their scoring average under Brown’s tutelage.

Brown helped sophomore Marcum break the program record for the best individual 54-hole score at the Drake Creek Invitational.

Brown’s 2013-14 women’s team also succeeded academically, notching the highest ever GPA in program history at 3.79 during the spring semester. All eight of the program’s student athletes were featured on the university’s dean’s list. The Cougars’ annual GPA was 3.69, which was the highest overall GPA of all SIUE Athletics programs, and 13th in all of NCAA Division I. The Cougars’ earned the OVC Academic Award for their efforts.

Three Cougars (Gorman, Marcum, and Stair) were honored as WGCA Scholar All-Americans.

During the 2012-13 season Brown led the Cougar men to their first-ever Ohio Valley Conference Tournament.

Brown oversaw sophomore Colin McCarty's continued development. Colin broke his brother Neal's scoring record by more than half a stroke. Colin finished the season with a 72.1 average while Neal turned in an average of 72.7 during the 2009-2010 season. The record season marked an improvement of 4.5 strokes from Colin's freshman season. Following the season, McCarty was named to the All-Ohio Valley Conference team. He was twice selected as the OVC men's Golfer of the Week. He earned medalist honors on two separate occasions: at Austin Peay's F&M Bank Intercollegiate in October and tying for the top spot at Tennessee State's Big Blue Intercollegiate in April.

Homb also improved his scoring average from his freshman campaign. Homb shaved 1.3 strokes off his average for a 75.2 average this season, which also ranks as the 16th lowest season average in school history.

McCarty, Homb, Cox, Grant Wynia, and White-the five individuals who represented the Cougars at the OVC Championships- all improved their scoring average from the previous season.

Also during the season, the Cougars enjoyed their best 54-hole total score in school history with an 853 at the Tennessee State Big Blue Intercollegiate. SIUE's second round score of 282 at Tennessee State was the second lowest 18 hole-score in school history. The team enjoyed four top five finishes and individual players carded 34 separate rounds under par during the year.

In fall 2011, Brown led the Cougars to their first Division I tournament title, guiding the Cougars to the team championship at their home event, the Double Tree Intercollegiate at challenging Sunset Hills Country Club. Brown also saw Homb named to the Ohio Valley Conference's All-Newcomer team as a true freshman.

Following the 2013-14 season, the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) recognized SIUE as an "All-Academic Team" for achieving a combined GPA of 3.0 or better for the past school year. It was the fourth consecutive year the Cougars had received the honor.

For the 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 seasons the program won the OVC Team Academic Achievement Award for garnering the highest percentage of players named to the OVC's Honor Roll.

Brown's 2010-11 Cougars earned three top 4 finishes, including a pair of 3rd place finishes, during the 2011 spring season. The team finished with 20 rounds at or under par. The Cougars also finished the season as the 5th ranked team in the Ohio Valley Conference.

Under Brown, Neal McCarty developed into one of the most accomplished golfers in program history. In 2011 McCarty took home individual honors at the Branson Creek Invitational, winning by five strokes. The win was the third in his career, tying for the most in school history.

The Cougars earned four Top 3 individual finishes during the spring season 2010 and had two Top 5 team finishes. Brown helped guide McCarty to a succesful finish at the Big Blue Classic, hosted by Tennessee State. McCarty shot a final round of 64, establishing a new school record for an 18-hole round. Brown also enjoyed a good season by his team in the classroom, where the Cougars earned their highest team GPA since the program's reinstatement.

Before joining the Cougar family, Brown was an assistant men's and women's golf coach at Ohio University. Led by second team All-Mid-American Conference (MAC) selection Chad Warmbein, the 2008-09 Bobcats won the season-opening John Piper Intercollegiate and took fourth at the MAC Championships in Indianapolis with a total of 1,183 -- third-best 72-hole score in program history. Ohio had three student-athletes each MAC Golfer of the Week and had one GCAA All-America Scholar in Stewart Jamieson. Brown also helped the women's team to four top-10 finishes and posted the seventh-best team stroke average in program history. The women also had four All-American Scholars and posted the fourth best team grade point average in the nation.

Brown was active in the teaching community while at Ohio University. He was the Instructor of Record for University Experience, a class that teaches strategies for greater success in the academic, personal, and professional arenas. He also taught Student-Athlete Experience and classes on golf and bowling. Brown is no stranger to college administration as he spent two years on the Ohio support staff. He began his tenure in Athens as the academic advisor for the Ohio field hockey, wrestling, and men's and women's golf teams before moving on to assist with the academic services of the Bobcat football team for the 2007-08 season.

Before joining Ohio, Brown served as the men's basketball graduate assistant at his alma mater, the University of South Dakota, for the 2005-06 season. He also coached varsity high school basketball in Newcastle, Neb., for two seasons.

The Vermillion, S.D., native was a three-year letter winner for the University of South Dakota golf team and was a five-year state golf qualifier at Vermillion High School. Brown earned a Bachelor of Science in Recreation from South Dakota in 2005 and a master's in Athletic Administration in 2006.

He is married to Dr. Jocelyn Brown, a Professor of Communication Studies at SIUE. The couple has a son, Preston James and a daughter, Anastasia Jaye. The family resides in Edwardsville.

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