Nicoson a finalist to coach Palmer Cup
By Micah McVicker | Editorial Assitant
Coaching the Palmer Cup may not attract the media attention that, for example, winning the World Series would draw. Yet consideration as a finalist to coach the United States’ team in the Palmer Cup is an honor nonetheless, an honor bestowed upon men’s golf head coach Brent Nicoson, who qualified as a finalist in large part to the academic success of his golfers and UIndy’s back-to-back Great Lakes Valley Conference championships.
“There’s 16 coaches from all levels of collegiate golf [that are finalists to coach the Palmer Cup],” said Dustin Roberts, director of external affairs for the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA). “There are two main criteria. One is based on their finish at their respective national championship. We look at the guys who are eligible who have finished the highest [at] nationals. [Also], you would have to be a citizen of the United States and they can’t have coached another national team in the past six years.”
The Palmer Cup, named after legendary golfer Arnold Palmer and held at Royal Portrush Golf Club in County Antrim, Northern Ireland June 24-26, shares the same format as the Ryder Cup, the professional golfers’ tournament where the top United States players take on the best players from Europe.
Many current professional golfers have participated in this tournament. Rory Sabbatini, Charles Howell, III, Lucas Glover, 2006 USGA Amateur Champion Richard Ramsey and Open de Portugal winner Pablo Martin are some of the decorated golfers that have played in this tournament.
Head coach Brent Nicoson took the recognition in stride.
“It was pretty cool to get the phone call from the college coaches association telling me I’m a finalist because it’s about the biggest thing you can do in college golf,” he said.”Other than winning the national championship, it’s the biggest tournament in international golf for college players.”
Director of Athletics Sue Willey endorsed of Coach Nicoson’s candidacy.
“It’s absolutely phenomenal. This is such an honor to have a Division II school have this representation,” Willey said. “It couldn’t happen to a nicer guy. He is absolutely a premiere representative of the university. Players respect him, they work hard for him. They (the GCAA) got it right when they named him as a finalist.”
Regardless of whether or not Nicoson is selected, recruiting for the men’s golf program is reaping benefits from his candidacy.
“Kids who are being recruited are calling me. Even parents have called me,” Nicoson said. “It’s helping [the recruiting process] for sure.”
Willey insisted that DII sports should cease to be overlooked, as has seemed to be the case in the past.
“Those of us in DII know we have a really good product, and our good product can go up against a lot of the DI [schools],” Willey said. “The media doesn’t give us the time of day.”
Regardless, Willey said that the university community should celebrate Nicoson’s achievements.
For example, the ‘Hounds won the Great Lakes Region in 2008. At the last two NCAA D-II Championships, UIndy placed eighth in 2008 and tied for sixth in 2009.
The ‘Hounds were also invited to play in the Golfweek Spring Invitational in Orlando on Feb. 7-8.
“It’s a pretty unique event that we got invited to because of how we finished the last couple years,” Nicoson said.
All that’s left to do now is wait.
“Our committee will meet sometime at the end of this month,” Roberts said. “Then we’ll announce [our decision] at the beginning of next month.”
