SIUE

SIUE golf Head Coach Derrick Brown is the second-longest tenured head coach at SIUE, now in his 17th season guiding the SIUE Cougars men’s golf team. With a background in coaching and administration, Brown has served as the men’s golf head coach since the 2009-2010 season and spent three seasons (2013-2016) overseeing both the men’s and women’s programs at SIUE. From August 2022 to April 2023, Brown also served as the Cougars' Interim Director of Athletics.

The 2024-25 season saw the Cougars take home four team tournament championships, marking the most in a single season in program history. For the second straight year, the Cougars won their home tournament, and also took home titles at UT Martin's Grover Page Classic, Missouri State's Twin Oaks Intercollegiate and also the Carpenter/Chaney Match Play Challenge. Additionally, junior Brady Kaufmann took home Individual Medalist honors at the Grover Page Classic. 

SIUE's scoring average of 290.1 was the second lowest in the Ohio Valley Conference and the second lowest in program history.

Three SIUE golfers, Brady Kaufmann (first team), Alex Eickhoff (first team) and Will Simpson (second team, all-newcomer team), were honored on All-OVC teams.

Brown was honored as the 2024 Ohio Valley Coach of the Year after guiding his team to great success during the 2023-24 season, which saw the Cougars break the school record for season scoring average, turning in a 285.9 average. 

The Cougars competed in a national postseason tournament for the first time as SIUE accepted an invitation to Golf Week National Golf Invitational. This followed a runner-up finish at the Ohio Valley Conference Championship, by a mere stroke.

The Cougars also boasted the 2024 OVC Player of the Year in senior TJ Baker. Brady Kaufmann, Luke Ludwig and Brent Reintjes all were honored with All-OVC accolades.

SIUE also brought home a pair of tournament tiles, as they won championships at their home tournament, the Dolenc Invitational and also won the Carpenter/Chaney Match Play Classic. 

The 2022-23 Cougars also earned a second-place finish at the OVC Championship. After the season Anthony Ruthey was name All-OVC First Team and Brady Kaufmann and Alex Eickhoff were named to the All-OVC Newcomer Team. Brady Kaufmann was also named OVC Freshman of the Year. During the season the team went 17-5 in 2022-2023 against OVC teams. The Cougars also had two additional runner-up team finishes during the 2022-2023 season at the Omaha Classic and OBX/ODU Intercollegiate. The team was again honored with an Outstanding Team Academic Award from the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) for the 13^th consecutive year.

Overall, Brown has recruited 13 high school state champions from 7 different states (Arizona, Arkansas, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, South Carolina, and South Dakota) to SIUE. Brown has consistently led his teams to success on the course as well as in the classroom. The team earned a combined 3.637 grade point average in Spring 2023, the highest of all programs in the department.

In December 2019, a long-time dream was realized when the Harry Gallatin Golf Practice facility was dedicated. A joint venture between SIUE Athletics and Sunset Hills Country Club, the 1,840 square-foot indoor practice facility is named in honor of legendary SIUE coach and supporter, the late Harry Gallatin, who envisioned a first-class facility that would increase student-athlete training opportunities.

Under Brown, the program resurrected its home golf tournament, now known as the SIUE Dolenc Invitational. The tournament has been contested 11 times and is named for SIUE Golf Alumni Derek and Kent Dolenc. SIUE has a head-to-head record of 143-35-2 in its home tournament, with six team wins and two runner-up finishes in that time.

The Vermillion, SD native was a three-year letter winner for the University of South Dakota golf team. Brown earned a bachelor’s in recreation from South Dakota in 2005 and a master's in athletic administration in 2006. Brown is married to Dr. Jocelyn DeGroot, professor of Applied Communication Studies at SIUE. They reside in Edwardsville with their children, Preston and Anastasia.  

Coaching Accomplishments on the Course    

• 2024 OVC Coach of the Year
• 2019 OVC Coach of the Year
• 2024 OVC Player of the Year (TJ Baker)
• 2023 OVC Freshman of the Year (Brady Kaufman)
• 2017 OVC Freshman of the Year (Luke Long)

·       12 OVC All-Newcomer team selections

·       14 All-Ohio Valley Conference selections

·       2 OVC Freshman of the Year selections

·       11 Individual Medalists

·       12 Team Championships

·       11 Team Runner Up Finishes

·       33 Top-3 Team Finishes

·       Ohio Valley Conference Tournament finishes

Coaching Accomplishments in the Classroom

·       GCAA President’s Special Recognition (team GPA of at least 3.5) for the 5th consecutive year

·       GCAA Outstanding Team Academic Award for 15 consecutive years

·       33 Srixon/Cleveland Golf All-America Scholars

·       12 OVC Academic Medal of Honor Awardees (4.0 GPA)