USC Men’s Golf Selects Mark Hankins to Lead Trojans
July 09, 2023 | Men's Golf
The Trojans’ new head coach is a two-time Big Ten Conference Coach of the Year choice.
LOS ANGELES – The USC men's golf program has hired Mark Hankins to serve as the next head coach of the Trojans, Interim Executive Administrator of Athletics Dr. Denise Kwok announced on Sunday, July 9.
"We are excited to welcome Mark Hankins to the Trojan Family," said Dr. Kwok. "He is a proven winner on the course and a respected leader in the game and throughout the golf community. Mark brings a wealth of experience in both developing individual student-athletes for success on the course and as the architect of successful programs. He is familiar with the landscape of the Big Ten and is driven to lead our Trojans to both conference and national championships."
Said Hankins: "I want to thank Dr. Kwok, Paul Perrier, and the USC leadership for the opportunity to lead Trojan Men's Golf into the future. It's an exciting time in Trojan Athletics and I look forward to building a program that produces the highest quality students, golfers, and young men that the entire USC community can be proud of."
Hankins comes to Troy from the University of Missouri where he served as a co-head coach of the Tigers' men's program for the last two years (2021-23). In his first season on staff, he helped lead Missouri to four tournament team titles and two individual titles, a program-best finish at the SEC Championship, and a milestone appearance at the NCAA Championship Regionals.
Under his guidance, Missouri finished stroke-play in fifth place at the SEC Championship, a program best, and advanced both years to match-play. The Tigers went on to earn their first back-to-back NCAA Championship Regional qualification in program history, marking Mizzou's 15th appearance in the NCAA Championship.
Hankins' decorated career spans 20 seasons as a head coach, with stops at Nebraska (2018-21), Iowa (2007-14), Michigan State (1999-07), and Texas-Arlington (1997-99). He has led his squads to 13 NCAA Championship Regional appearances with four trips to the NCAA Championship Final. His teams have more than 30 NCAA DI tournament team titles over his career, and he has developed five PING All-Americans and coached 21 All-Big Ten Conference honorees. He is a two-time Big Ten Coach of the Year choice, earning the recognition in both 2005 and 2007 while with Michigan State.
In his first season at Nebraska, Hankins led the 2019 Huskers to their best-ever finish at the Big Ten Conference Championship. He also engineered two fourth-place finishes at the Big Ten match-play Championships (2019, 2020), both equaling the highest in school history.
Prior to his time in Lincoln, Hankins built Iowa into a Top-25 powerhouse, securing 11 tournament titles and six consecutive NCAA Championship Regional appearances in seven campaigns. At Iowa, he coached three All-Americans, 16 All-Midwest Region selections, 11 first-team All-Big Ten honorees and seven Academic All-Americans. Under Hankins, the Hawkeyes finished as high as 10th place at the NCAA Championship Finals.
Before his move to Iowa, Hankins revolutionized the Michigan State golf program in his eight years in East Lansing (1999-07), a term that resulted in two Big Ten Conference team championships (2005, 2007). A two-time Big Ten Coach of the Year with the Spartans, Hankins guided Michigan State to five NCAA Championship Regional appearances and 11 tournament titles.
Off the golf course, Hankins has served in athletic administration roles and on the NCAA Division I Men's Golf Committee (2016-20). He also served as President and Vice-President of the Golf Coaches Association of America for eight years (2006-14). In 2007, he was named the head golf coach of Team USA at the World University Games held in Bangkok, Thailand.
Hankins is a two-time graduate of Iowa State University with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a Master of Business Administration. As a student-athlete, he garnered first-team All-Conference accolades his senior season, GCAA Academic All-America honors, and was a three-time Academic All-Conference performer at Iowa State.
For more information on the USC men's golf program, please visit USCTrojans.com.
"We are excited to welcome Mark Hankins to the Trojan Family," said Dr. Kwok. "He is a proven winner on the course and a respected leader in the game and throughout the golf community. Mark brings a wealth of experience in both developing individual student-athletes for success on the course and as the architect of successful programs. He is familiar with the landscape of the Big Ten and is driven to lead our Trojans to both conference and national championships."
Said Hankins: "I want to thank Dr. Kwok, Paul Perrier, and the USC leadership for the opportunity to lead Trojan Men's Golf into the future. It's an exciting time in Trojan Athletics and I look forward to building a program that produces the highest quality students, golfers, and young men that the entire USC community can be proud of."
Hankins comes to Troy from the University of Missouri where he served as a co-head coach of the Tigers' men's program for the last two years (2021-23). In his first season on staff, he helped lead Missouri to four tournament team titles and two individual titles, a program-best finish at the SEC Championship, and a milestone appearance at the NCAA Championship Regionals.
Under his guidance, Missouri finished stroke-play in fifth place at the SEC Championship, a program best, and advanced both years to match-play. The Tigers went on to earn their first back-to-back NCAA Championship Regional qualification in program history, marking Mizzou's 15th appearance in the NCAA Championship.
Hankins' decorated career spans 20 seasons as a head coach, with stops at Nebraska (2018-21), Iowa (2007-14), Michigan State (1999-07), and Texas-Arlington (1997-99). He has led his squads to 13 NCAA Championship Regional appearances with four trips to the NCAA Championship Final. His teams have more than 30 NCAA DI tournament team titles over his career, and he has developed five PING All-Americans and coached 21 All-Big Ten Conference honorees. He is a two-time Big Ten Coach of the Year choice, earning the recognition in both 2005 and 2007 while with Michigan State.
In his first season at Nebraska, Hankins led the 2019 Huskers to their best-ever finish at the Big Ten Conference Championship. He also engineered two fourth-place finishes at the Big Ten match-play Championships (2019, 2020), both equaling the highest in school history.
Prior to his time in Lincoln, Hankins built Iowa into a Top-25 powerhouse, securing 11 tournament titles and six consecutive NCAA Championship Regional appearances in seven campaigns. At Iowa, he coached three All-Americans, 16 All-Midwest Region selections, 11 first-team All-Big Ten honorees and seven Academic All-Americans. Under Hankins, the Hawkeyes finished as high as 10th place at the NCAA Championship Finals.
Before his move to Iowa, Hankins revolutionized the Michigan State golf program in his eight years in East Lansing (1999-07), a term that resulted in two Big Ten Conference team championships (2005, 2007). A two-time Big Ten Coach of the Year with the Spartans, Hankins guided Michigan State to five NCAA Championship Regional appearances and 11 tournament titles.
Off the golf course, Hankins has served in athletic administration roles and on the NCAA Division I Men's Golf Committee (2016-20). He also served as President and Vice-President of the Golf Coaches Association of America for eight years (2006-14). In 2007, he was named the head golf coach of Team USA at the World University Games held in Bangkok, Thailand.
Hankins is a two-time graduate of Iowa State University with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a Master of Business Administration. As a student-athlete, he garnered first-team All-Conference accolades his senior season, GCAA Academic All-America honors, and was a three-time Academic All-Conference performer at Iowa State.
For more information on the USC men's golf program, please visit USCTrojans.com.