Milligan University Men's Golf

Wallingfords mens teams have captured six Appalachian Athletic Conference Championships, two NAIA Regional titles, and made two NAIA National Championship appearances. The Buffs captured back-to-back conference championships in 2013 and 2014. His 2014 team smashed the school record for 18-hole and 36-hole scoring with a 279 (-9) and a 282 (-6) for a two-day total of 561 (-15) at the fall conference championship. Wallingford led his 2013 Buffs team to conference and regional titles and placed 14th at the NAIA National Championship in Salem, Oregon.  While at the national tourney, Milligan became the first team in conference history to make the 54-hole cut and play in the final round. The 2013 Buffs had the programs highest final national coaches poll ranking at No. 24.  Wallingford has consistently had the  Buffs ranked among Golfstats top 50 programs.     Wallingford has been named AAC Mens Coach of the Year four times (2004, 2006, 2007, 2013) and was tabbed the NAIA Regional Coach of the Year in 2007 and 2013. He has recruited and coached four NAIA National Championship individual qualifiers. His mens team has achieved National Scholar Team recognition five times, and he has coached 12 academic All-Americans. The 2009 Buffs squad was selected as the AAC Champions of Character Team.   Wallingford resurrected the mens golf program in 1992, and led the program as a non-scholarship sport until 1996.  In the fall of 96, Wallingford moved the program to intercollegiate status.   Wallingford is a level III certified golf instructor through the United States Golf Teachers Federation (USGTF) and has attended advanced training sessions at TPC Myrtle Beach. Wallingford also teaches two golf classes at Milligan.  Wallingford remains active in the rules of golf and in 2016 successfully completed  the PGA-USGA Rules of Golf Workshop in Milwaukee, WI.    In 2010, Wallingford initiated the womens program. He recently led the 2016 Buffs team to a record-breaking season as they won back to back conference championships, back to back NAIA Direct Qualifier championships, and placed 13th at the NAIA National Championship in Savannah, Georgia. They finished No. 13 nationally in the NAIA Final Coaches Poll, the highest finish in program history after finishing #22 in 2015. In 2012, in only the second year of the womens program, Milligan won the conference and regional championships, and made an NAIA National Championship appearance. They finished the 2012 season ranked 28th nationally in the final NAIA coaches poll. In 2011, 2013, and 2014 the Buffs finished as conference runner-up. In five out of the six years of the program, the womens team has been ranked in Golfstats top 50, and in 2016 the Buffs achieved their highest national Golfstat ranking at No. 13.   Wallingford was named the AAC Womens Coach of the Year in 2012, 2015, and 2016. He has recruited nine players that have earned all-conference honors.    Twice, 2011 and 2012, the women were selected as the AAC Champions of Character recipient. In all six years of the program, his Milligan womens teams have received National Scholar Team recognition (team GPA over 3.0) with 12 players receiving AAC All-Academic honors. Six players have achieved Academic All-American.   In addition to his golf accomplishments, Coach Wallingford is the all-time winningest basketball coach in Milligan history.  His Milligan teams won an impressive nine conference and regional championships and made three national tournament appearances. He was an AAC Coach of the Year four times. He left the basketball coaching profession in 2009 ranked 14th nationally among NAIA active coaches in wins with 560 wins in 26 years as a collegiate head coach (21.5 wins per season).   Wallingford holds a BA in political science with teacher certification from Washington and Jefferson College (PA) and a MA in secondary school administration from the University of Akron. While at W&J, Wallingford earned eight varsity letters as a two-sport athlete in basketball and baseball.  Wallingford is a member of the Milligan Athletics Hall of Fame and the Goshen High School (OH) Hall of Fame.   Coach Wallingford and his wife Terry have been married for 35 years and have three children, Sara (Milligan, 04), Don (Milligan, 05) and Seth (Carson-Newman, 11). The Wallingfords reside in Johnson City. Coach Wallingford and his wife Terry teach 4th and 5th grade Sunday School classes and are active members of Poplar Ridge Christian Church in Piney Flats, Tennessee.