Kennesaw State University Women's Golf

Ket Preamchuen Vanderpool, a Kennesaw State alumnus and decorated Owl, was officially named the fifth women’s golf coach in KSU history on Aug. 18, 2025.   Vanderpool takes the reigns of a program just two years removed from an Atlantic Sun Championship. In 2024-25, the Owls featured four true freshmen and just one upperclassman as they battled to a seventh-place finish at the Conference USA Championship.   “Owl Nation, help me welcome Coach Vanderpool back home to the Nest!” Director of Athletics Milton Overton said. “Ket knows how to be a champion on the golf course and in the classroom. She embodies the spirit of Kennesaw State Athletics, understands what it means to be an Owl, and is deeply committed to the success of our student-athletes. We are thrilled to have her leading our women’s golf program into an exciting new era.”   A two-time Kennesaw State graduate (B.S. in sport management – 2014; M.S. in applied exercise and health science and sport marketing – 2017), Vanderpool is the first KSU alumnus to serve as the Owls’ head coach.   “I am thrilled to be back at Kennesaw State,” Vanderpool said. “This place is like home to me. I came to Kennesaw State in August 2009 as a student-athlete. Sixteen years later, I received the opportunity to come back as the head women’s golf coach. I am excited to start working with the team to prepare for the upcoming season.”    She continued, “I would like to thank Milton Overton and Brad Ledford for the opportunity to be back at Kennesaw State. Go Owls!”   Prior to being named Kennesaw State’s head coach, Vanderpool spent six years with the Georgia State women’s golf program – first as an assistant coach (2020-23) before being named head coach in August 2023.   With the Panthers, she helped coach GSU to some of their most successful seasons in recent years, including nine top-five team finishes and 10 top-10 individual finishes – with four tournament victories.   Prior to Georgia State, Vanderpool spent two years as a graduate assistant coach at Kennesaw State from 2015-17 after playing professionally. Working with the team and recruiting, both domestically and internationally, she helped guide the Owls to the 2015 Atlantic Sun Conference championship and a berth in the 2015 NCAA Regional.   Before starting her coaching career, Vanderpool played professionally on the Symetra Tour. She finished tied for second in the 2019 Georgia Women’s Amateur and then advanced to the match play Round of 16 in the USGA Women’s Mid-Amateur in September, earning her the 2019 Player of the Year Award from the Georgia State Golf Association.   During her collegiate years, she was a four-year standout for the Owls from 2009 to 2013 as one of the top players in program history. A three-time, first-team All-Atlantic Sun Conference and National Golf Coaches Association (NGCA) All-America Scholar honoree, she led the Owls in stroke average, top-20 finishes, top-10 finishes and rounds of par or better during her first three seasons at KSU.   Vanderpool helped lead the Owls to the program’s first-ever Atlantic Sun Conference Championship and NCAA Regional appearance in 2012. She was presented the 2013 Dr. Dave Waples Total Person Award by the Kennesaw State athletics department, which is awarded to an upperclassman who exemplifies athletic and academic achievement, character, leadership, and community service.   For her career, she totaled 20 top-20 finishes, 14 top-10 finishes and 22 rounds of even par or better, posting the seventh-best career stroke average in school history at 74.94 career stroke average.   On the administrative side, Vanderpool has worked as an intern with both the American Junior Golf Association and the Georgia State Golf Association.   A native of Chachoengsao, Thailand, Ket is married to Matt Vanderpool.

Brinsmead and the Owls returned to the top of the ASUN Conference with a dominating performance at the 2015 ASUN Championships, earning its second conference title in program history with an amazing wire-to-wire 30-stroke win. With the win, KSU earned its second-ever berth into the NCAA Regionals, advancing to the San Antonio Regional, where the Owls finished its historic season in 14th place. For her efforts, Brinsmead was named A-Sun Coach of the Year for the second time, while having five members of the 2014-15 squad earning A-Sun All-Conference accolades. She followed it up by guiding her 2015-16 team to a win at the Terrier Intercollegiate and seven Top 10 finishes, including five Top 5 showings. She helped freshman Clara Aveling win ASUN Individual Medalist honors along with the ASUN Player of the Year Award and the ASUN Freshman of the YearAward. A total of five Owls earned ASUN postseason honors. It was also another strong season in the classroom as all six ladies earned a spot on the ASUN Honor Roll for earning above a 3.0 grade point average for the year. Kennesaw State continued to show progress and Brinsmead, who enters her 10th year leading the Owls, has plenty to be optimistic about heading into the 2016-17 season. The Owls took their first step toward achieving their goal of national recognition after capturing their first-ever Atlantic Sun Conference title and making their initial postseason appearance following the 2011-12 season. Kennesaw State advanced to the NCAA West Regional at Colorado National Golf Club in Erie, Colo., and placed 20th in the 24-team event. Although the team did not reach its goal of a second consecutive conference crown and postseason showing during the 2012-13 campaign. The 2011-12 season proved a high-water mark for Kennesaw State as it posted seven Top 10 finishes, including three Top 5 showings, a year ago. The Owls finished the year ranked No. 60 nationally by Golfstat and No. 63 by Golfweek. Kennesaw States success did not go unnoticed among its conference opponents as the Owls had four individuals receive all-conference recognition following the 2011-12 campaign, including Brinsmead being named A-Sun Coach of the Year for the first time. The 2010-11 season marked another first for Kennesaw State under Brinsmead as the Owls claimed their first 54-hole tournament victory after winning the 18-team Palmetto Invitational at the Oak Point Golf Club in Kiawah, S.C. KSU concluded the year with five Top 10 finishes, including a second place showing at the A-Sun Championships. During its first year of NCAA Division I postseason eligibility after making the transition from Division II, KSU posted eight Top 10 finishes, including six Top 5s during the 2009-10 season. The Owls best showing came at the A-Sun Championships where they placed second. During Brinsmead's nine seasons as head coach, 10 players have garnered A-Sun All-Conference honors 16 times, while her players also have achieved success in the classroom as eight student-athletes have earned Women's Golf Coaches Association (WGCA) All-American Scholar Team honors over the years. Under Brinsmeads leadership, the Kennesaw State women s golf program has been awarded the CHAMPS/Life Skills Program Award on multiple occasions. The program honors the comprehensive commitment by the KSU Department of Athletics to foster the total growth and development of its student-athletes through the balance of academic success, athletic competition and personal growth. Prior to being named the second head coach in Kennesaw State history, Brinsmead spent three years (2005-2007) as an assistant coach at Iowa State. While serving as an assistant, the Cyclones posted their second-best Big XII Conference finish in program history and had three players earn conference all-academic honors. Brinsmead began her coaching career at her alma mater, Texas State, where she served as an assistant during the 2004-05 season. During her four-year collegiate career, Brinsmead was a four-year letter winner and served as team captain during her junior and senior seasons. She also helped the Bobcats capture the 2002 Southland Conference championship. Brinsmead received a United States Golf Association (USGA) P.J. Boatwright internship with the Central Texas Junior Golf Association where she initiated and implemented the region's LPGA-USGA Junior Girls Golf Club. She also coordinated the Hook a Kid on Golf junior camp, a free camp for junior golfers. Brinsmead received a bachelors degree in exercise and sports science from Texas State and a masters degree in educational leadership and policy studies from Iowa State. She currently resides in Kennesaw, Ga.