After spending the last three seasons at the helm of the Florida Atlantic program, Aimee Neff was named the new head coach of the UNC women’s golf team on Friday.

A former associate head coach for the Tar Heels, Neff becomes the head coach after taking over for the retired Jan Mann — who had led the team since 2009.

Neff joins Mann, Sally Austin (1993-2009) and Dot Gunnells (1974-93) as the only head coaches in the history of the UNC women’s golf program.

When Neff took over at Florida Atlantic prior to the 2018-19 campaign, the Owls were ranked No. 189 nationally according to Golfweek. Last year, that ranking was up to No. 94.

Florida Atlantic won two team tournaments, four individual events and saw its team scoring average improve by 12 strokes per round under Neff’s leadership. Justine Fournand also won Conference USA Freshman of the Year and Player of the Year honors for Florida Atlantic during that time.

The Owls qualified for an NCAA Regional Tournament this past season and set new school records in par 3, par 4, par 5 and overall stroke average.

When Neff was the associate head coach at UNC during the 2017-18 season, the Tar Heels won the Briar’s Creek Invitational with the second-lowest 54-hole score in school history and qualified for the NCAA TPC Harding Park Regional in San Francisco.

A four-time All-Big Ten selection as a player at Michigan State from 2007-11, Neff has also had assistant coaching stints at her alma mater (2013-16) and at Vanderbilt (2016-27).

“Returning to Carolina as its head coach is an honor,” Neff said. “I am incredibly grateful to Bubba Cunningham for the opportunity to work at my dream job. I’d also like to thank Brian White, the Director of Athletics at Florida Atlantic University, for his support over the last three years.

“UNC is a special place because of its exceptional student-athletes and the men and women who work there and those who have been part of the program in the past,” she added. “It truly is a community of people who want to be excellent in what they do. I am eager to get to work and build off the program’s previous successes. UNC has the total package of academic prowess, athletic greatness, being a member of the ACC, committed alumni, geographic location and outstanding facilities.”

Neff takes over a UNC program which struggled this past season, finishing no higher than eighth in any of its team tournaments.

 

Photo via UNC Athletics


Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees. You can support local journalism and our mission to serve the community. Contribute today – every single dollar matters.