LaGrange College Men's Golf

Richter. The Panthers were NCAA Division III national tournament runner-ups and won their second straight USA South Tournament championship. The runner-up finish was the highest by a LaGrange College athletic team in a NCAA national tournament. Richter was named the USA South Coach of the Year, the Division III Southeast Region Coach of the Year, and a finalist for Division III National Coach of the Year. The 2015 team had three PING Division III All-Americans, led by senior Cory Howard. Howard became the second Panther to earn three-time All-America status after being named to the first team. Sophomores Logan Lanier and Osborn Theam were on the third team. Howard was also the USA South Player of the Year, a finalist for the Division III Jack Nicklaus National Player of the Year and selected to the All-Nicklaus Team.  Richter led the Panthers to their first USA South Tournament championship and a then program best eighth place finish in their seventh appearance at the NCAA Division III national championships in 2014. Cory Howard was an All-American for the second straight year, while being low medalist at the USA South Tournament. Theam joined Howard on the All-American teams and was the USA South Golf Rookie of the Year. The Panthers finished the 2012-13 season ranked 17th in the NCAA Division III Golfstat rankings. Howard earned All-American status as well as All-Region and USA South All-Conference honors for the Panthers that same season. In 2012, Richter led the Panthers to their first Great South Athletic Conference Tournament Championship and was named the conference's Coach of the Year. In addition to 2015, the Panthers also reached the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament in 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, and 2014.  Richter guided the Panthers to the 2003 USCAA national title. The Panthers also made back-to-back national tournament appearances in the 2000 and 2001 NAIA National Championships.   Richter has coached a total of 17 NCAA All-Americans with six of those being Academic All-Americans, which he is the most proud of. LaGrange College's first freshman NCAA All-American in the school's history came from the golf team in 2007 when Bo Tiller earned the honor. Hudson Keener became the program's first three-time NCAA All-American in 2012. Howard, Bo Tiller, and Freddie Wolford earned back-to-back Academic All-American honors, which requires a 3.2 GPA, play in at least 30 percent of the team's tournaments, and have a 79 or better scoring average. In addition, Richter has coached NAIA All-American Per Classon. Jason Smith was a two-time NAIA Academic All-American, along with Bjorn Nelsson, who earned the award once.  Richter was named Region Coach of the Year for the Southeast Region in 1999 after the Panthers finished ranked 20th in NAIA. He played golf for Alexander City (Ala.) Community College, where he was selected to the All-Conference and All-Region teams in 1975. He then went to Troy (Ala.) State, where he was a member of the 1976 and 1977 National Championship golf teams and was selected to the All-District golf teams in 1977 and 1978. Richter was named All-American in 1978. He graduated in 1973 from LaGrange High School and was a member of the golf team and the region medalist three out of four years.