CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Tony Markel Family Men’s Golf Head Coach Bowen Sargent was named the 2026 Dave Williams National Coach of the Year presented by Golf Pride Grips on Tuesday (June 9). He is a two-time finalist for the prestigious honor (2025 & 2026) and is Virginia’s first ever Dave Williams Award recipient.
Sargent was also recognized as the NCAA Division I Golf Pride Grips East Region Coach of the Year second-straight season.
Under Sargent and 2026 Division I Jan Strickland Outstanding Assistant Coach Award presented by TaylorMade Golf Company recipient Dustin Groves, Virginia won a program-record seven tournaments added three runner-up finishes in 2025-26. The Cavaliers captured their second-straight ACC Championship and won a share of the NCAA Winston-Salem Regional, the program’s first NCAA Regional title. Virginia advanced to its school-record, fourth-straight NCAA Championship where it was among 15 teams to make it to the fourth and final round of stroke play.
UVA was ranked in the top four of the Scoreboard powered by Clippd rankings for the entire season and spent 11 weeks in the top spot (Oct. 22 to March 4). The Cavaliers were led on the course by four PING All-East Region honorees, including Ben James. James became the fifth NCAA Division I golfer since the GCAA began naming All-Americans in 1958 to be a four-time First Team All-American (2023-26). Sargent will serve as a Co-Assistant Coach for Team USA at the 2026 Arnold Palmer Cup, held July 3-5 at Tralee Golf Links in West Barrow, Ireland.
2026 Dave Williams National Coach of the Year Award presented by Golf Pride Grips
NCAA Division I - Bowen Sargent, Virginia
NCAA Division II - Brian Richey, Florida Southern
NCAA Division III - Keenan Hickton, Sewanee
NAIA - Blake Trimble, Oklahoma City
NJCAA Division I - Vince Clark, McLennan
NJCAA Division II - Lukas Coppedge, Murray State (OK)
2026 NCAA Division I Golf Pride Grips Region Coaches of the Year
Northeast - Rob Shutte, Rutgers
East - Bowen Sargent, Virginia
Southeast - Nick Clinard, Auburn
Midwest - Ryan Blagg, Louisville
Central - Brad McMakin, Arkansas
West - Jim Anderson, Arizona