DAHLONEGA – University of North Georgia Director of Golf and head men's golf coach Bryson Worley has been named as one of five finalists across the country for the 2024 NCAA Division II Dave Williams Coach of the Year Award presented by Golf Pride Grips, as announced by the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) Wednesday afternoon.
The Williams Award honors the national coach of the year in NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, NAIA, NJCAA Division I and NJCAA Division II men's golf.
The other four finalists joining Worley are Mark Hull (Colorado Christian), Gareth Lappin (Grand Valley State), Brad Robinson (Lincoln Memorial) and Derrick Thompson (Central Oklahoma).
Worley has led the Nighthawks to their best season in program history in 2024.
His team earned a program record six tournament wins during the season and never finished worse than third in 11 of its 12 team tournaments played this year.
Most importantly, Worley made history this year in a number of ways with his team. The Nighthawks won the Peach Belt Conference Championship for the first time in program history and followed it up with a regional championship in the 2024 NCAA South/Southeast Regional Tournament, another program first.
Ahead of the conference tournament, Worley was named the PBC Coach of the Year for the third consecutive season. He's the only men's golf coach in conference history to win the award in three straight years.
Under Worley, three Nighthawk golfers earned acclaim on the PBC All-Conference Teams, while three clubbers also found a spot on the PING Southeast All-Region Team.
Worley has had three different golfers total five individual medalist honors in different tournaments this season. Graduate students Jack Vajda (three) and Will Chambless (one) each have tournament wins while senior Noah Zediker picked up his lone win of the season at the McCoy Wright Currahee Invitational back in October.
Worley has also coached one of the best golfers in the country this year in Vajda, who is currently a finalist for the 2024 NCAA Division II Jack Nicklaus Award
