Bill Penny of the University of Alberta – Augustana Vikings has been named the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association Golf Coach of the Year.
Penny received the award this evening at the 2015 PING CCAA Golf National Championship banquet in Abbotsford, BC.
Penny led the Vikings men’s golf team to gold at the ACAC Championships in only their third year of existence.
“As a coach, he has taken the program at University of Alberta – Augustana from start up to conference championship in three short years,” said CCAA Golf Convenor Albert Roche. “This result is a testament to his coaching ability and his commitment to achieving long term goals.”
Braxton Fox and Michael Harrison of the Vikings won individual gold and silver, respectively, at this year’s Conference Championships.
In the program’s first season, two players went to the ACAC Championships. In Year 2, five made it to provincials and this season, all nine players qualified for the Conference Championships.
Through his continuing education, Penny earned the status of Master Professional in 2003, an accomplishment very few in the CPGA have achieved. Basing his Thesis on his experiences throughout a great career, “Building and Managing a World Class Golf Facility” is truly an interesting read for many aspiring professionals and everyday golfers alike.
Penny has positioned himself as a true leader in the industry, well versed and knowledgeable in all aspects of the game and business of golf.
“Bill has devoted a career towards the development of golf in Canada and beyond,” said Roche.
Other nominees:
Gert Van Niekerk – Douglas Royals
- Van Niekerk guided an inexperienced Douglas Royals men’s team to a fourth place finish in the PACWEST. Despite having a roster featuring four first-year golfers, the Royals competed extremely well against strong opposition on the West Coast. As the founder of the Sport Science Faculty and Athletics at Douglas College, Van Niekerk has fostered life-long relationships with thousands of student-athletes over the last 45 years.
Kevin Corriveau – St. Clair Saints
- Corriveau led the St. Clair Saints women’s team to a third-place finish at the OCAA Championships and a berth to Nationals. Under his guidance, the women’s team has won team medals the last four consecutive years. Corriveau, a PGA of Canada Class A Member, has coached at St. Clair for 14 years. The Saints men’s team placed fourth at the Niagara Invitational.
Benoit Lemieux – Boomerang d’AL
- Lemieux guided Cégep André-Laurendeau, a team with four rookies, to the overall RSEQ Championship. First-year player Brendan Smith finished second in the Order of Merit. Former student-athletes Hugo Bernard (St-Leo University) and Etienne Brault (Chattanooga Tennessee University) have recently graduated from the program.
Daniel Cudmore – Holland Hurricanes
- Cudmore led the Holland Hurricanes to ACAA Championships in men’s and women’s golf. He has rebuilt Holland’s men’s team, which lost three members from last year’s CCAA National Champion squad. Cudmore has also been successful in getting a women’s team back into competition.