Lincoln University Director of Golf Kortland Ware Named 2024 HBCU Coach of the Year

On Monday, August 19, the Black College Golf Coaches Association (BCGCA) and the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) announced Kortland Ware, Lincoln University’s director of golf, as the 2024 Non-Division I HBCU Coach of the Year.

Ware, who also serves as Lincoln’s director of advancement, has led both the Blue Tiger women’s and men’s golf programs to remarkable success. Under his leadership, the 2023-24 season was a standout year for Lincoln's golf teams. The women’s team secured two victories, including a first-place finish at the National Women’s Collegiate Championship. At this event, golfer Kaathi Gunasegar earned the individual medalist award and was subsequently invited to play in the prestigious LPGA Pro-Am alongside the world’s top-ranked golfer, Nelly Korda. The women’s team also achieved two runner-up finishes and nine top-10 results overall.

The men’s program, under Ware’s guidance, also had an impressive season, with two second-place finishes, including at The PGA WORKS Championship held at PGA Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. The men’s team concluded the season with four top-five results and seven top-10 finishes.

Ware’s historic achievement as the first golf coach in Lincoln University’s history to be named HBCU Coach of the Year reflects his dedication and impact on the program. The BCGCA awards celebrate black college golfers and coaches from diverse backgrounds across all divisions of college golf.

Ware began his collegiate playing career at Jackson State University, where he won the individual title at the 2006 Southwestern Athletic Conference Championship. He later transferred to Lincoln University, where he completed his Bachelor of Science degree in business administration in December 2010.