Head Coach J.C. Deacon smiles during the SEC Championship.
Deacon Named Finalist for Coach of the Year
Friday, May 29, 2026 | Men's Golf
For the third time in four years, head coach J.C. Deacon has been named a finalist.
NORMAN, Okla. - For the third time in four years, Florida men's head golf coach J.C. Deacon has been named one of five finalists for the 2026 NCAA Division I Dave Williams Coach of the Year award on Friday. He earned the honor in 2023.
No. 2 Florida tees off the NCAA National Championship this afternoon at 2:50 p.m. at Omni La Costa. The Gators are paired with No. 1 Auburn and No. 3 Texas for the first 36-holes as the SEC trio tee off Saturday at 9:30 a.m.
Florida is making its 59th NCAA Championships appearance, which is second in the SEC and ranks fourth-most in the country. Also this is the sixth straight nationals appearance, which is tied for the fourth longest active streak. Since regionals started in 1989, Florida has advanced 33 total times, tied for second most in the nation, only behind Oklahoma State's 34. The Gators have only missed qualifying twice under head coach Deacon in 11 total opportunities.
UF has continued their success once again under Deacon, who is in his 12th season. Florida has won six tournaments for the third time in the last four seasons as the four straight seasons of five-plus is the first time in program history.
Deacon's Gators have thrived in postseason play. Florida commandingly swept the Columbus Regional going wire-to-wire, and winning by 24-strokes. It was the third regional championship under Deacon and back-to-back team titles at the second leg of the postseason for the first time in program history.
This is the first time in program history with consecutive regional victories. Across the last four seasons, the Gators have secured five out of 12 possible team postseason titles; 2023 National Championship, 2023 & 2025 SEC Championships and 2025 & 2026 NCAA Regional Titles. UF is one of two teams (Oklahoma) to win consecutive regional championships the last two seasons.
The regional victory was the 38th all-time and third regional title under Deacon for the eighth season of multiple wins, including the last six consecutive. It is also the 23rd win in the last four seasons: 2022-23 (6), 2023-24 (6), 2024-25 (5) & 2025-26 (6). In that span, Florida has played a total of 49 tournaments (46.9%). Deacon is only four team titles away from tying UF Hall of Fame Coach Buster Bishop (42). Since 1965, Florida has seven seasons of six-plus team victories and Deacon owns three of those seasons, which is the most by any head coach in program history.
Luke Poulter earned the program's seventh individual regional title overall (second under Deacon) for his second collegiate win. A shot back Poulter, who was the first Gator to earn medalist honors this season, featured in Matthew Kress and Parker Sands.
Florida started the postseason with a record setting performance and a runner-up finish at the SEC Championship. A final round record at the conference championship and low round of the day at 13-under produced a three-round total of 807 (-33) that set a new program best by score and par at the conference tournament, shattering the previous best of 828 & -16 last season. In the opening round, Florida then tied the round record at SECs by score and par with a 269 (-11).
Additionally, the 807 mark is the program's lowest all-time in any tournament, beating the previous by three shots that was set at the 2001 Gator Invitational. The 33-under is now the fifth lowest by par, the all-time record is 42-under at the 2018 NCAA Regional.
The Gators reached the match play finals for the third time in four years, which ranks second all-time in the conference during a four-year stretch, only Vanderbilt has accomplished the feat with reaching the finals four straight years. UF reached the final round after knocking off Oklahoma (quarterfinals) and Texas (semifinals). The loss in the finals to Ole Miss was the first match play loss this season.
UF won four straight tournaments this season, tied for the third-longest streak in program history. The Gators closed the fall season winning back-to-back tournaments at the Williams Cup and East Lake Cup, adding to a runner-up outing and T3 performance in the weeks prior. In the five spring tournaments, UF won three of them and finished T3 (Pauma Valley Invitational) and 5th (Southern Highlands Collegiate) at the other two outings in the regular season.
UF won on its home course and event for the 32nd time in the tournament's 49th year of existence, including winning the last seven straight. The win streak of seven consecutive ranks third all-time as Florida won the event eight times from 2004-11 and nine times from 1989-1997.
The group finished the fall season on a strong note, winning back-to-back tournaments at the Williams Cup and East Lake Cup, adding to a runner-up outing and T3 performance in the weeks prior. A 12-shot victory and finish of 15-under highlighted the Williams Cup victory over a group of ranked teams: No. 5 Texas (-3), No. 13 North Carolina (+9), No. 22 Notre Dame (+12), No. 21 Oklahoma (+16), No. 9 Utah (+16) and No. 16 Auburn (+20).
At the East Lake Cup, Florida defeated No. 1 Virginia (Finals) and No. 9 Ole Miss (Semifinals) for the program's first-ever championship at the prestigious event that features last year's final-four teams.
2026 NCAA Division I Dave Williams Award Finalists
J.C. Deacon (Florida)
Nick Clinard (Auburn)
Chris Malloy (Ole Miss)
Brad McMakin (Arkansas)
Bowen Sargent (Virginia)
No. 2 Florida tees off the NCAA National Championship this afternoon at 2:50 p.m. at Omni La Costa. The Gators are paired with No. 1 Auburn and No. 3 Texas for the first 36-holes as the SEC trio tee off Saturday at 9:30 a.m.
Florida is making its 59th NCAA Championships appearance, which is second in the SEC and ranks fourth-most in the country. Also this is the sixth straight nationals appearance, which is tied for the fourth longest active streak. Since regionals started in 1989, Florida has advanced 33 total times, tied for second most in the nation, only behind Oklahoma State's 34. The Gators have only missed qualifying twice under head coach Deacon in 11 total opportunities.
UF has continued their success once again under Deacon, who is in his 12th season. Florida has won six tournaments for the third time in the last four seasons as the four straight seasons of five-plus is the first time in program history.
Deacon's Gators have thrived in postseason play. Florida commandingly swept the Columbus Regional going wire-to-wire, and winning by 24-strokes. It was the third regional championship under Deacon and back-to-back team titles at the second leg of the postseason for the first time in program history.
This is the first time in program history with consecutive regional victories. Across the last four seasons, the Gators have secured five out of 12 possible team postseason titles; 2023 National Championship, 2023 & 2025 SEC Championships and 2025 & 2026 NCAA Regional Titles. UF is one of two teams (Oklahoma) to win consecutive regional championships the last two seasons.
The regional victory was the 38th all-time and third regional title under Deacon for the eighth season of multiple wins, including the last six consecutive. It is also the 23rd win in the last four seasons: 2022-23 (6), 2023-24 (6), 2024-25 (5) & 2025-26 (6). In that span, Florida has played a total of 49 tournaments (46.9%). Deacon is only four team titles away from tying UF Hall of Fame Coach Buster Bishop (42). Since 1965, Florida has seven seasons of six-plus team victories and Deacon owns three of those seasons, which is the most by any head coach in program history.
Luke Poulter earned the program's seventh individual regional title overall (second under Deacon) for his second collegiate win. A shot back Poulter, who was the first Gator to earn medalist honors this season, featured in Matthew Kress and Parker Sands.
Florida started the postseason with a record setting performance and a runner-up finish at the SEC Championship. A final round record at the conference championship and low round of the day at 13-under produced a three-round total of 807 (-33) that set a new program best by score and par at the conference tournament, shattering the previous best of 828 & -16 last season. In the opening round, Florida then tied the round record at SECs by score and par with a 269 (-11).
Additionally, the 807 mark is the program's lowest all-time in any tournament, beating the previous by three shots that was set at the 2001 Gator Invitational. The 33-under is now the fifth lowest by par, the all-time record is 42-under at the 2018 NCAA Regional.
The Gators reached the match play finals for the third time in four years, which ranks second all-time in the conference during a four-year stretch, only Vanderbilt has accomplished the feat with reaching the finals four straight years. UF reached the final round after knocking off Oklahoma (quarterfinals) and Texas (semifinals). The loss in the finals to Ole Miss was the first match play loss this season.
UF won four straight tournaments this season, tied for the third-longest streak in program history. The Gators closed the fall season winning back-to-back tournaments at the Williams Cup and East Lake Cup, adding to a runner-up outing and T3 performance in the weeks prior. In the five spring tournaments, UF won three of them and finished T3 (Pauma Valley Invitational) and 5th (Southern Highlands Collegiate) at the other two outings in the regular season.
UF won on its home course and event for the 32nd time in the tournament's 49th year of existence, including winning the last seven straight. The win streak of seven consecutive ranks third all-time as Florida won the event eight times from 2004-11 and nine times from 1989-1997.
The group finished the fall season on a strong note, winning back-to-back tournaments at the Williams Cup and East Lake Cup, adding to a runner-up outing and T3 performance in the weeks prior. A 12-shot victory and finish of 15-under highlighted the Williams Cup victory over a group of ranked teams: No. 5 Texas (-3), No. 13 North Carolina (+9), No. 22 Notre Dame (+12), No. 21 Oklahoma (+16), No. 9 Utah (+16) and No. 16 Auburn (+20).
At the East Lake Cup, Florida defeated No. 1 Virginia (Finals) and No. 9 Ole Miss (Semifinals) for the program's first-ever championship at the prestigious event that features last year's final-four teams.
2026 NCAA Division I Dave Williams Award Finalists
J.C. Deacon (Florida)
Nick Clinard (Auburn)
Chris Malloy (Ole Miss)
Brad McMakin (Arkansas)
Bowen Sargent (Virginia)
Players Mentioned
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