Michele Drinkard was hired as Mercer University's women's golf head coach on June 22, 2015.

Drinkard ushered Mercer's women's golf program into the Southern Conference starting in her first year at the helm. Since assuming her title at Mercer, Drinkard has led the Bears to six tournament titles, including a pair in the 2018-19 campaign. Drinkard's teams at Mercer have finished fourth or better in the SoCon Championship each year. There have been 10 student-athletes who have earned All-SoCon Team accolades under Drinkard's leadership.

"We are pleased to welcome Michele Drinkard to Mercer as the head coach of our women’s golf program," Cole said at the time of Drinkard's hire. "Michele’s teams have displayed a proven track record of success both on the course and in the classroom and we are excited about the energy and leadership she brings to this program.”

Drinkard joined the Mercer Family with 12 years of experience as a head coach, including at Ole Miss, after leading the Birmingham Southern program for four years prior. Drinkard's teams qualified for the NCAA Tournament seven times while two of her student-athletes qualified for NCAA Regional play as individuals.

Drinkard is credited for reigniting the Ole Miss women's golf program during her eight-year tenure with the Rebels. She took over a program that finished at the bottom of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) standings to heights that included five consecutive NCAA Regional qualifications from 2009-13.

Prior to Ole Miss, Drinkard spent six total seasons at Birmingham Southern, the last four of which were as a head coach. Drinkard led the Panthers to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances and mentored the 2006 and 2007 Big South Scholar Athlete of the Year and the 2007 Big South Player of the Year.

A member of the Women's Golf Coaches Association (WGCA) All-America and Awards Committee, Drinkard has coached 22 total all-conference performers through the 2018-19 season. That list includes seven Mercer women's golfers, including two-time selections Terese Romeo, Mary Janiga and Payton Schanen, as well as Ole Miss' first All-American, Dori Carter. Carter is one of six former Drinkard mentees who have played on the LPGA Tour.

Drinkard's teams have excelled in the classroom as well; over 30 of her student-athletes -- 10 at Mercer -- have earned WGCA All-American Scholar honors. Her 2009 team Ole Miss earned the Chancellor’s Cup for the highest grade-point average among the department’s women’s sports, while two former players were named to the prestigious University of Mississippi Taylor Medalist list.

Drinkard is a former Dixie Section PGA Tour Teacher of the Year and a three-time Top 50 Teacher by Golf for Women magazine. She garnered Big South Coach of the Year honors in 2006 and 2007.

Her success as a coach and an instructor has also been rewarded. Drinkard was named the Dixie Section PGA Teacher of the Year and a three-time Top 50 Teacher by Golf for Women magazine, while also garnering Big South Coach of the Year honors in 2006 and 2007.

As a player, Drinkard competed on the Futures Golf Tour, the European and Australian Tours from 1988-90, and attended the LPGA Tour School from 1988-90. She became a PGA member in 1994. A standout for the University of Alabama, Drinkard earned her bachelor's degree from the school in 1986. She was the 1980 and 1981 Alabama State High School Champion for Cullman High School.

The Cullman, Ala., native has also served as the Director of the USGA-LPGA Girl's Golf Club in Birmingham, Ala., which is one of the largest programs in the country with 100 girls ranging from 8-to-17 years of age.

DRINKARD'S COACHING HISTORY

Year	School	Title
2015-25	Mercer	Head Coach
2007-15	Ole Miss	Head Coach
2003-07	Birmingham Southern	Head Coach
2001-03	Birmingham Southern	Assistant Coach

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING
"I'm excited for the Mercer women's golf program! Michele Drinkard is an incredible golf coach and will bring lots of success to the program. She has been a major influence on my golf career both on and off the course and as a Georgia native, I am excited about seeing her coach in my home state." - Dori Carter, LPGA Professional and former Ole Miss Rebel

"I believe Coach Drinkard will be a great asset in impacting the women's golf program at Mercer University. During my time at Ole Miss I was able to witness first hand a coach who had a strength in developing young players. Coach Drinkard not only knew the importance of practicing with a purpose but she knew how to help players organize productive practice plans and be motivated to do them. I will be eager to watch the program excel in the near future." - Haley (Millsap) Italia, LPGA Professional and former Ole Miss Rebel

Name	Title	Phone	Email Address
Michele Drinkard	Head Coach	(478) 301-5625	drinkard_sm@mercer.edu
Kelli Scheck	Graduate Assistant	(478) 301-5625	kelli.elizabeth.scheck@live.mercer.edu

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