Jan. 19, 2007

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Samford University has named Michele Drinkard as its new head women's golf coach, Bob Roller director of athletics announced Friday.

"Michele will join our coaching staff with some of the finest credentials, as well as a national name in the golf community," Roller said. "She is a top-flight instructor who has taken Birmingham-Southern's program to national prominence. We look forward to the coming years of Samford women's golf under her leadership."

Drinkard, who will begin work at Samford in July, comes to the school after spending the last five seasons at Birmingham-Southern College, serving the last three seasons as the school's head women's golf coach. She will replace Ian Thompson, who resigned earlier this month.

"I am excited about the opportunity to come to Samford and be a part of the Samford family," Drinkard said. "I am looking forward to joining the women's golf program at the end of the upcoming season at Birmingham-Southern."

This season, Drinkard's BSC squad is currently ranked 37th in the nation in the Golfweek/Sagarin ratings.

Drinkard joined the BSC women's golf program as an assistant coach in the program's inaugural season of 2001-02. In that first season, BSC won the program's first-ever tournament title in just its third try when the Panthers captured the JSU Gamecock Classic in October of 2001. Drinkard also helped the Panthers to a Golfweek/Sagarin top-125 rating in 2002-03. BSC also recorded four wins over Golfweek/Sagarin top-100 programs and notched a Golfweek/Sagarin win-loss record of 56-53-1 that year.

In 2005, Drinkard was named as one of Golf for Women Magazine's "Top 50 Instructors," and was listed as one of the "Best Teachers in Alabama," by Golf Digest Magazine. She was also named one of the "Top 50 Kids Teachers," by U.S. Kids Golf. Drinkard currently serves as the teaching professional at Bent Brook Golf Course. Drinkard added that the course will now become Samford's home course.

Drinkard, a native of Cullman, Ala., is a 1986 graduate of the University of Alabama.