Just one day after his UNC men’s golf program reached No. 1 in the country in Golfweek’s poll, head coach Andrew DiBitetto has signed a five-year contract extension that will keep him in Chapel Hill through 2026.

“Andrew has done a great job with our men’s golf program,” UNC athletic director Bubba Cunningham said in a release from Carolina Athletics. “He helped build a strong culture as an assistant coach but has taken us to a new level of performance and success on the course and the classroom in the four-plus years he’s been the head coach. We believe we can win championships at Carolina.”

UNC tied for fifth place in the 2021 NCAA championships earlier in the year, their best result in 28 seasons. Carolina is one of only six programs nationally to finish in the Top 20 for the last three seasons.

“I want to thank Chancellor Guskiewicz, the Board of Trustees and Bubba Cunningham for their belief in our program and in me by extending my contract,” DiBitetto said. “I also want to thank my family. They are my biggest supporters and sacrifice so much so I can do what I love, which is to help and support our guys in any way possible.”

Under DiBitetto, the Tar Heels have won their first two tournaments of the 2021-22 season, topping fields that included Arizona State, who eliminated UNC in last season’s NCAA championships, and defending NCAA champions Pepperdine.

Four of DiBitetto’s current players have won All-American honors: Ryan Burnett, Ryan Gerard, Austin Greaser and Peter Fountain, each of whom competed at this summer’s U.S. Amateur Championship. Gerard and Greaser both won individual titles at UNC’s first two tournaments this season. In the 2020-21 season, Fountain became the first Tar Heel since 2003 to be named a first-team All-American, and the only one to do so as a freshman. He was also the first UNC golfer ever to be named to the All-Nicklaus team.

DiBitetto’s Tar Heels will be back in action early next week for the Blessings Collegiate Invitational, hosted by the University of Arkansas.

 

Featured image via Triad Golf


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