Eastern Kentucky University Men's Golf

Stephens was presented with his third OVC Coach of the Year Award.  Easterns 12 championships are four more than any current member of the conference.   At the 2015 NCAA San Diego Regional, EKU got off to a strong start and led the field early in the first round.  At the end of day one, the Colonels were in front of four nationally ranked teams. This past season, Stephens had Eastern in contention for a second straight conference championship on the final day. In 2006, the Colonels captured their first conference title in almost a decade and advanced to the NCAA Regional as a team for the first time in program history.  Along the way, Stephens was named OVC Coach of the Year.  Two seasons later, Stephens and the Colonels repeated, winning the 2008 OVC title, advancing to a second NCAA Regional and taking home coach of the year honors again.   In 2008, Eastern finished tied for 12th at the NCAA Central Regional. At that time, the top-10 teams from each of three regionals advanced to the championship round, the Colonels missed qualifying for the finals by three shots.  Eastern Kentucky, the 22nd seeded team in the 27-team regional, finished 10 spots higher than it was seeded and finished in front of five teams ranked among the top-50 in the nation.  In a field of 141 players, Jesse Massie tied for 12th. Stephens, a former EKU player and later assistant professional at Arlington Golf Course, assumed the coaching reins prior to the start of the 1997-98 season and at that same time took over the head professional duties at Arlington. Stephens has proven to be a strong leader for his team.  During his tenure, the Colonels have placed in the top 10 at 193 events while finishing in the top five at 130 of those competitions.  Eastern Kentucky finished among the top 10 at every event they competed in during the 2003-04, 2006-07 and 2009-10 seasons.  During the past eight seasons, the Colonels have 104 top-10 performances in 120 events. In addition, Eastern Kentucky has finished first at 38 events under Stephens guidance.  Since the beginning of the 2007-08 season, EKU has captured 13 tournament titles while competing against some of the regions best teams.  Stephens has also coached 29 individual tournament champions.   Fourteen Eastern Kentucky golfers have been named to the OVC All-Tournament team while 29 have been selected to the all-conference team under Stephens watch.   In 2003, he helped guide Brandon Brown into the 2003 NCAA Regional Tournament, giving the Eastern Kentucky golf program national exposure.  In 2009, Stephens sent Trey Bowling to the NCAA Regional Tournament.  In 2011, Johan Eriksson became the third Colonel under Stephens guidance to reach the NCAA Regional. Under Stephens, EKU golfers have gained statewide recognition on the amateur circuit, winning two straight Kentucky Golf Association Player of the Year Awards in 2008 and 2009.  At the professional level, Brown led the NGA Professional Tour in earnings in 2011 and 2012, and played in the 2013 U.S. Open. Stephens, a lifelong resident of Madison County, played on the golf team at Madison High School and was named a high school All-American after winning 12 tournaments throughout his prep career. Stephens played for the University of Kentucky golf team for two years before transferring to Eastern Kentucky.  He made an immediate impact on the team, as well as the Ohio Valley Conference, winning the league title in 1982.  The following season, he finished second at the conference tournament but the Colonels captured the team title both seasons, beginning Easterns run of five consecutive league crowns. Following his collegiate career, Stephens extended his playing career, competing on mini-tours throughout the South and qualifying for several major competitions.  He was a three-time runner-up in the Kentucky Open (1978, 1983 and 1995) and in 1996 and 2007 was named the Kentucky PGA Player of the Year. Stephens qualified for the 1988 US Open, won by Curtis Strange in an 18-hole play-off against Nick Faldo and played at The Country Club in Brookline, Mass.  More recently, he was selected to the Ohio Valley Conferences 40th Anniversary All-Time Golf Team.  He was chosen as the Assistant Pro Player of the Year in 1997 and 1998, and the Kentucky PGA Senior Player of the Year in 2012 and 2014. Stephens commitment to the game of golf has extended beyond the course as he and his wife Joni co-authored the book Skills, Drills and Strategies for Golf. Stephens spent two years as the assistant golf professional at Arlington prior to his stint at Gibson Bay.  While at Gibson Bay, he was named the 1996 PGA Merchandiser of the Year for public golf courses. Stephens resides in Richmond and has three sons, Daniel, Ben, and Joseph; three daughters-in-law, Mendie, Mindie and Leah; and three grandchildren, Carter Adam (7), Cara Dawn (4) and Dexter (1).   He and his wife Joni have been married for 35 years.