The University of Mississippi Athletics
Malloy, Henkes Bringing Unprecedented Success to Ole Miss Golf Programs
5/3/2024 | Men's Golf, Women's Golf, Athletics
OXFORD, Miss. – Head coaches Chris Malloy and Kory Henkes have worked together to build a matching pair of national powerhouse golf programs at Ole Miss over the last decade. Both the men's and women's teams have won on college golf's biggest stage over the past 10 years, but the 2023-24 season has been a testament to just how far they've come under the two coaches.
Ten years ago, before Malloy and Henkes took over, both the men's and women's teams failed to earn an NCAA Regional berth. This week, for the first time in program history, both the men and women will step to the tee at NCAA Regionals as top-three seeds.
READY FOR A REVIVAL
When Malloy took over the men's program in 2014, the Rebels had recently put together a string of NCAA Regional appearances from 2007-2012. But even with the presence of All-American and future PGA Tour golfer Jonathan Randolph, they couldn't quite get over the hump.
Ole Miss hadn't earned an NCAA Championship berth as a team since 2001. The Rebels also made it in 1999, when then-student-athlete Malloy shot a 74-79–153 as they missed the cut. There had been some tastes of success for the men's program over the years, but they were hungry for a bigger piece of the pie.
Success had been even more difficult to come by for the women's program before Henkes arrived. Henkes took over the women's program the year after Malloy became the men's head coach, and at that time, the Rebel women had never made the NCAA Championships.
The women's team also had a similar star in the 2000s, future LPGA Tour golfer Dori Carter. They also made the NCAA Regionals from 2009-2013, but they had never finished better than 12th. Henkes, like Malloy, came determined to change all of that.
RAISING THE BAR
For both coaches, it didn't take long to see their visions coming to fruition.
Malloy found the next great individual star for the Rebels and helped turn him into the best golfer in program history. Braden Thornberry rewrote the Ole Miss men's golf record book, winning 11 tournaments, including the first individual NCAA title in program history in 2017. That year, he also led the Rebels to their first team NCAA Championship berth since 2001.
The next in the line individual stars was Jackson Suber, who won five tournaments during his time as a Rebel. Like Thornberry, Suber led Ole Miss to new heights as a group when he won the 2022 Norman Regional individual title, the first individual regional title in program history. Suber's performance led Ole Miss back to the NCAA Championships, and he took it a step further, pushing the Rebels to make both cuts and finish 14th, their best in the event since 1985.
Meanwhile, on the women's side, Henkes took two seasons to turn the program from an afterthought into a national contender. In 2017-18, the Rebels tied a program record with three tournament wins and finished third at NCAA Regionals to make the NCAA Championships for the first time in program history.
Like Malloy and Thornberry on the men's side, Henkes recruited and coached the best golfer in program history, two-time All-American Julia Johnson, who won a program record four tournament titles to go with 18 top-five finishes.
As it turned out, that level of success wasn't just a flash in the pan. Henkes added more elite talent around Johnson, including other All-Americans like Kennedy Swann, Chiara Tamburlini, and Andrea Lignell, and Ole Miss has made the NCAA Regionals every year since, finishing sixth or better each time, and earning four berths to the NCAA Championships.
The season after making their first NCAA Championship berth, they won their first SEC Championship. Prior to claiming the 2019 SEC title, the Rebels had only one top-five team finish at the event.
Two years after that, with four current or future All-Americans on the roster, Henkes' team won the whole thing, making a spectacular run to the 2021 NCAA Championship title, and making Ole Miss Golf a household name in the process.
GOLF SCHOOL
There are plenty of testaments to just how well Malloy and Henkes have built the golf programs in Oxford. Both record books have been completely rewritten. The golf house is littered with some of the sport's most coveted trophies. Or, just look at the 2023-24 season.
Both teams have been mainstays near the top of the national rankings and have competed for tournament titles nearly every weekend.
The women have won two tournaments, including posting the lowest team score in program history 816 (-36) in the first outing of the season at the Cougar Classic in Charleston, South Carolina. The Rebels also have four top-five finishes as a team and one individual title.
Henkes' squad recently punched its ticket to its fifth straight NCAA Regionals, earning a top-four seed for the third straight time as it was named the No. 3 seed in the Bermuda Run Regional.
Meanwhile, the men are amid perhaps their best season as a team in program history. Once again, they're led by an individual star. Michael La Sasso has been ranked as high as No. 2 in the nation individually and, like Thornberry before him, will represent Ole Miss in prestigious the Arnold Palmer Cup.
This time, the cast around that star has been stronger than ever before. With perhaps Malloy's deepest team, Ole Miss has finished in the top five in all but two tournaments this year, winning one and coming in second four times. The Rebels will make their seventh straight NCAA Regional appearance, the longest streak in program history, and the eighth berth in 10 seasons under Malloy.
But this one is a bit special—Ole Miss earned its highest seed ever as the No. 2 seed in the Stanford Regional.
For the first time ever, both the men and women will go to NCAA Regionals as top-three seeds and top picks to advance to the NCAA Championships once again. While both programs are eager to finish strong, one thing is certain: Ole Miss men's and women's golf are here to stay.
THE FUTURE OF COLLEGE GOLF
While Malloy and Henkes have shown their commitment to winning at the highest level, the Ole Miss administration and supporters have shown the same.
Much thanks to the unprecedented successes during their tenures, Malloy and Henkes have helped to establish some of college golf's best facilities—and they're only getting better.
Ole Miss built the Tosh Family Short Course in 2019, which gave the teams their own private training area with different grass types, elevations and hazards to simulate every challenge the Rebels might face in competition. Not coincidentally, the teams have seen their scores decrease and their successes increase dramatically since that date.
Next up: Ole Miss will overhaul the rest of the golf complex to give the Rebels the best home clubhouse amenities in the nation, and, of course, room for more trophies.
Click here for more info and to contribute to the Ole Miss Athletics Foundation's Champions. Now. campaign.
Ten years ago, before Malloy and Henkes took over, both the men's and women's teams failed to earn an NCAA Regional berth. This week, for the first time in program history, both the men and women will step to the tee at NCAA Regionals as top-three seeds.
READY FOR A REVIVAL
When Malloy took over the men's program in 2014, the Rebels had recently put together a string of NCAA Regional appearances from 2007-2012. But even with the presence of All-American and future PGA Tour golfer Jonathan Randolph, they couldn't quite get over the hump.
Ole Miss hadn't earned an NCAA Championship berth as a team since 2001. The Rebels also made it in 1999, when then-student-athlete Malloy shot a 74-79–153 as they missed the cut. There had been some tastes of success for the men's program over the years, but they were hungry for a bigger piece of the pie.
Success had been even more difficult to come by for the women's program before Henkes arrived. Henkes took over the women's program the year after Malloy became the men's head coach, and at that time, the Rebel women had never made the NCAA Championships.
The women's team also had a similar star in the 2000s, future LPGA Tour golfer Dori Carter. They also made the NCAA Regionals from 2009-2013, but they had never finished better than 12th. Henkes, like Malloy, came determined to change all of that.
RAISING THE BAR
For both coaches, it didn't take long to see their visions coming to fruition.
Malloy found the next great individual star for the Rebels and helped turn him into the best golfer in program history. Braden Thornberry rewrote the Ole Miss men's golf record book, winning 11 tournaments, including the first individual NCAA title in program history in 2017. That year, he also led the Rebels to their first team NCAA Championship berth since 2001.
The next in the line individual stars was Jackson Suber, who won five tournaments during his time as a Rebel. Like Thornberry, Suber led Ole Miss to new heights as a group when he won the 2022 Norman Regional individual title, the first individual regional title in program history. Suber's performance led Ole Miss back to the NCAA Championships, and he took it a step further, pushing the Rebels to make both cuts and finish 14th, their best in the event since 1985.
Meanwhile, on the women's side, Henkes took two seasons to turn the program from an afterthought into a national contender. In 2017-18, the Rebels tied a program record with three tournament wins and finished third at NCAA Regionals to make the NCAA Championships for the first time in program history.
Like Malloy and Thornberry on the men's side, Henkes recruited and coached the best golfer in program history, two-time All-American Julia Johnson, who won a program record four tournament titles to go with 18 top-five finishes.
As it turned out, that level of success wasn't just a flash in the pan. Henkes added more elite talent around Johnson, including other All-Americans like Kennedy Swann, Chiara Tamburlini, and Andrea Lignell, and Ole Miss has made the NCAA Regionals every year since, finishing sixth or better each time, and earning four berths to the NCAA Championships.
The season after making their first NCAA Championship berth, they won their first SEC Championship. Prior to claiming the 2019 SEC title, the Rebels had only one top-five team finish at the event.
Two years after that, with four current or future All-Americans on the roster, Henkes' team won the whole thing, making a spectacular run to the 2021 NCAA Championship title, and making Ole Miss Golf a household name in the process.
GOLF SCHOOL
There are plenty of testaments to just how well Malloy and Henkes have built the golf programs in Oxford. Both record books have been completely rewritten. The golf house is littered with some of the sport's most coveted trophies. Or, just look at the 2023-24 season.
Both teams have been mainstays near the top of the national rankings and have competed for tournament titles nearly every weekend.
The women have won two tournaments, including posting the lowest team score in program history 816 (-36) in the first outing of the season at the Cougar Classic in Charleston, South Carolina. The Rebels also have four top-five finishes as a team and one individual title.
Henkes' squad recently punched its ticket to its fifth straight NCAA Regionals, earning a top-four seed for the third straight time as it was named the No. 3 seed in the Bermuda Run Regional.
Meanwhile, the men are amid perhaps their best season as a team in program history. Once again, they're led by an individual star. Michael La Sasso has been ranked as high as No. 2 in the nation individually and, like Thornberry before him, will represent Ole Miss in prestigious the Arnold Palmer Cup.
This time, the cast around that star has been stronger than ever before. With perhaps Malloy's deepest team, Ole Miss has finished in the top five in all but two tournaments this year, winning one and coming in second four times. The Rebels will make their seventh straight NCAA Regional appearance, the longest streak in program history, and the eighth berth in 10 seasons under Malloy.
But this one is a bit special—Ole Miss earned its highest seed ever as the No. 2 seed in the Stanford Regional.
For the first time ever, both the men and women will go to NCAA Regionals as top-three seeds and top picks to advance to the NCAA Championships once again. While both programs are eager to finish strong, one thing is certain: Ole Miss men's and women's golf are here to stay.
THE FUTURE OF COLLEGE GOLF
While Malloy and Henkes have shown their commitment to winning at the highest level, the Ole Miss administration and supporters have shown the same.
Much thanks to the unprecedented successes during their tenures, Malloy and Henkes have helped to establish some of college golf's best facilities—and they're only getting better.
Ole Miss built the Tosh Family Short Course in 2019, which gave the teams their own private training area with different grass types, elevations and hazards to simulate every challenge the Rebels might face in competition. Not coincidentally, the teams have seen their scores decrease and their successes increase dramatically since that date.
Next up: Ole Miss will overhaul the rest of the golf complex to give the Rebels the best home clubhouse amenities in the nation, and, of course, room for more trophies.
Click here for more info and to contribute to the Ole Miss Athletics Foundation's Champions. Now. campaign.
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Golf
/ Men's Golf
/ Women's Golf
/ Men's Golf
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
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