By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – With purple and gold coursing through his veins, Tennessee Tech is and will always remain a special place for head golf coach Polk Brown. He played for the Golden Eagle men's squad, earned his degree from the University and has served as the leader of the golf programs for each of the past nine seasons.
That relationship between Brown, the University and the teams he oversees is set to become even more special with his latest contract extension keeping the Kingston, Tenn. native in Cookeville through the end of the 2024-25 campaign.
"I am thrilled to have the opportunity to lead these teams into the future," Brown expressed. "I cannot believe I'm getting ready to go into my 10th year as head coach, and the fact that I will be here beyond that is just crazy to me. This place is just so special to me, that there are many days where I still cannot believe I'm the head coach of these programs. I am so truly blessed to have this opportunity each and every day and I am excited for what lies ahead for Tech golf."
Entering his 10th season at the helm of both Tech programs, Brown is already the second-longest tenured coach in the history of the women's squad and third-longest on the men's side. Only the legendary Hall of Famer Bobby Nichols, who established the women's program in 1986, coached the team longer (22 years). On the men's side, Nichols led the program for 34 years while another Tech Hall of Famer, Raymond "Bull" Brown, served as head coach for 19 seasons.
"I can't say enough about the impact that Coach Nichols had on my career and in making me the coach I am today," Brown explained. "To be mentioned in the same air as Coach Nichols and Coach Brown is truly special and something I don't take for granted. I count my blessings each day that I get to wake up and coach in a place I love."
Brown has coached numerous successful golfers in his time overseeing both the men's and women's programs, boasting a combined eight All-OVC players between both teams. Additionally, his student-athletes have racked up a whopping 68 All-Tournament nods while the teams have combined to produce 64 top-five finishes, including five tournament titles.
He has coached five OVC All-Newcomer Team members and seen his student-athletes achieve a combined seven All-Tournament honors at the OVC Championships. Both the men's and women's teams have placed in the top five of the OVC Championships six times during Brown's tenure.
"Polk is a Tech man through and through," Tech director of athletics Mark Wilson said. "To have someone with his passion for golf, for academics and, most importantly, for this campus and community, is such a blessing. He has done a remarkable job with both programs since we brought him on in 2011 and I can't think of a better man to keep leading our student-athletes as we navigate through the next five years."
Since his arrival as the head man on the links for the Golden Eagles, his players and teams have broken numerous school records, including the men's all-time scoring marks for 18 holes and 54 holes. On the women's side, the record book has been completely rewritten, with his student-athletes accounting for each of the top 18-, 36- and 54-hole scores both as a team and as individuals.
A four-year letterman under Nichols, Brown played for the Golden Eagles from 2001 to 2006, with a redshirt season in 2003-04. As a player, he earned all-tournament honors three times during his career, including the Mercer Invitational as a freshman and the EKU Spring Invitational as a senior. A team captain in his final year, he finished fifth at the 2006 Ohio Valley Conference Tournament to claim his third all-tournament honor. In 2001-02 he won the Most Improved Player Award and the Impact Award, and in 2005-06 he received the team's Most Dedicated Player Award.
Brown received his bachelor's degree in finance from Tech in 2006, and completed his coursework in August 2011, adding his master's degree in curriculum and instruction. He spent his first year after graduation as an Apprentice at Holston Hills Country Club in Knoxville, then returned to school in 2009 to begin working toward his master's.
He resides in Cookeville with his fiancé Katy Triplett.
Photo by Thomas Corhern
