Missouri Western State University Men's Golf

Dillons fourth leading the Griffon Mens and Womens Golf programs. Two individuals and one team have qualified for NCAA Regional play under Dillons tutelage, including the most prolific season in Griffon Womens Golf history in 2015-16.   AT MISSOURI WESTERN In his third year, Dillon led the womens team to its first ever appearance in the NCAA Regional. A team playoff gave the group a third place finish at the regional and its first ever qualification for the NCAA Division II Championships in Aurora, Colorado. Shi Qing Ong was named MIAA Freshman of the Year along with being an All-Region selection. Ong was also a first team All-MIAA selection and joined Celine Lim (honorable mention) and Madison Rommue (honorable mention) on the All-MIAA team. Two Griffons, Corey Knight and Ryan Hand, were named All-MIAA on the mens side.   In 2014-15, Dillon led individuals from both the mens and womens team to regional play for the first time in program history. Corey Knight advanced for the mens team while Celine Lim made the central regional for the women as a freshman.   Dillons Griffon golfers have also seen success off the course, with 30 student-athletes named to the MIAA Academic Honor Roll through his first three seasons.   BEFORE MISSOURI WESTERN Dillon came to MWSU after four years at Colorado State University-Pueblo.    While at CSU-Pueblo, Dillon established one of the top women's golf programs in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.  He also established himself as one of the top women's golf coaches in RMAC history.A three-time RMAC Coach of the Year, Dillon took the women's golf program from "worst to first," taking over a last place program in 2009 and systematically improving the program to conference champions and beyond. His step-by-step process began in 2010 as the ThunderWolves had their first All-RMAC golfer in Rachel Means. In 2011, CSU-Pueblo rose to 4th in the conference as RMAC Freshman of the Year Michaela Breit became the program's first ever golfer to qualify individually for the NCAA Division II Super Regional. In recognition of his team's performance in 2010-11, Dillon was named the RMAC Women's Golf Coach of the Year. In year three, the "worst to first" journey was complete as the ThunderWolves caught fire at the end of the season, winning the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference championship and qualifying as a team for the NCAA Division II Super Regional.  He again was named the RMAC Coach of the Year. By 2013, his team won nearly every tournament, barely missing out on a second straight RMAC championship by finishing second to close the season and qualifying RMAC Golfer of the Year, Leina Kim, for the NCAA Division II National Championship as an individual, finishing in the top 40. In addition to being the Womens Golf Coach at CSUP, Dillon served as the Director of Instruction at Desert Hawk Golf Club in Pueblo.  He is a member of the Professional Golfers Association of America as he has Class A-1 Certification and has received commendation from the PGA as a junior golf instructor. Dillon has extensive experience in the golf industry as before returning to CSU-Pueblo, he served as a golf professional in a variety of locations, including Pueblo West, Colorado; New Port Ritchie, Florida and Cheyenne, Wyoming including being the Head Golf Professional and General Manager of the Shadow Hills Golf Club in Canon City, Colorado for 17 years. He also has an extensive background as a player.  Collegiately hes an alum of CSUP and was a member of the ThunderWolves' golf team from 1975-78 and helped lead the team to the 1978 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference championship where he was an All-RMAC selection, as well as two NCAA Division II Regional appearances (1976, 1978).  He currently competes in many PGA section events as well as other regional qualifiers. Dillon and his wife, Janice, have two children: Tara and Hunter.  

Matt Thrasher became the head golf coach for both the men's and women's teams at Missouri Western State University in July 2022, making him only the second coach to hold both positions.    During his debut year, the women's team reached the NCAA Central Regional tournament for the first time since 2019, finishing in eighth place. This was their fifth central regional appearance in the past seven years. Additionally, Julie Hofmanova earned the title MIAA Female Golfer of the Week during the regular season.    On the men's team, Marius Dosiere received recognition as MIAA Golfer of the Week and MIAA Freshman of the Year during the regular season. He also qualified for the NCAA Division II Midwest/Central Regional at the Bridges Golf Course, becoming the first Griffon freshman to reach the Super Regional since Patrick McCarthy in 2017. Meanwhile, Jeffrey Johnston earned the title MIAA Male Golfer of the Week during the fall season.    Academic excellence was also a priority for the Griffon Golf program, with six members receiving MIAA academic honors.    Coach Thrasher is an MWSU alumnus who played golf from 1991 to 1995 and won three individual tournaments. He has remained involved in the sport in various capacities, including serving as a caddy for MWSU alum and professional golfer Brad Nurski and helping Coach Dillon when needed. Coach Thrasher was the No. 1 golfer on the team during his time at Missouri Western in the early '90s. Before taking on the coaching position, he ran an insurance company in the St. Joseph area and was involved in multiple city boards.   Thrasher began his coaching tenure on the same day that the Griffon Golf Simulator was unveiled to the public in the Looney Complex. This tool will allow him to fine-tune players' swings and prepare the Griffons for competition.

Robinson joins Greg Dillon, a fellow native Coloradoan, after working as the assistant golf professional at the Pueblo Country Club. The 2016-17 season is Robinson's second at Missouri Western. Last year, Robinson helped lead the Womens Golf team to the most prolific season in program history. The team first qualified for the NCAA Super Regional for the first time in program history, then won a playoff to finish third and advance to the NCAA Championships. Shi Qing Ong was named MIAA Freshman of the Year, first team All-MIAA, All-Region and Missouri Western Womens Golf Student-Athlete of the Year. Joining Ong on the All-MIAA team were honorable mention selections Celine Lim and Madison Romjue. Haley is a former collegiate golfer herself, with a career starting at Regis University which eventually led her to transfer to Colorado State University-Pueblo.  While at CSU-Pueblo, Robinson played for Coach Dillon. Haley earned her undergraduate degree in Mass Communication with an emphasis in PR and Advertising.  After finishing her degree she worked in radio broadcasting along with color commentary for high school football.  She then worked her way back into the golf business to pursue what she loves. While coaching and attending MWSU, Haley will pursue her Masters in Sport and Fitness Management.

In the 2022-23 season, Brad Nurski joined the new age of Missouri Western Golf as assistant head coach to Matt Thrasher.  The women's team made it to the NCAA Central Regional tournament for the first time since 2019. They finished eighth, marking the fifth central regional appearance in the last seven years. During the regular season, Julie Hofmanova was named MIAA female golfer of the week.  On the men's team, Marius Dosiere achieved impressive accomplishments. He was named MIAA Golfer of the Week and MIAA Freshman of the Year during the regular season. He also qualified for the NCAA Division II Midwest/Central Regional at the Bridges Golf Course. He became the first Griffon freshman to make it to the Super Regional since Patrick McCarthy in 2017.   Jeffrey Johnston also nabbed a regular season MIAA male golfer of the week during the fall season.    Griffon Golf also placed emphasis on academics, with six members earning MIAA academic honors.   Brad Nurski was a four-year letter winner for the Griffon Golf team from 1997-2001. The St. Joseph native and former Benton High School golfer quickly made his mark at Missouri Western winning the 1998 Spring MWSU Invitational his freshman year. That victory started his rise to becoming one of the greatest golfers in Missouri Western history. During his career, Nurski was a five-time Missouri Western Champion. In 2000 he won the Drury Invitational and the Central Missouri Tournament Championships. He also qualified for the 2000 USGA Public Links Championship. Nurski was a three-time All-MIAA selection in 1999, 2000, and 2001 and a three-time All-District performer in 1999, 2000, and 2001. Brad led the Griffons to the 2000 MIAA Team Championship and qualified for the NCAA Great Lakes Central Regional as an individual during his senior year in 2001. After his Griffon career, Brad has become one of the most decorated amateur golfers in the state of Missouri. His accolades include; winning the St. Joseph City Championship five times, Fairview Club Champion a record 12 times, and St. Joseph Country Club Champion three times. He reached the pinnacle of amateur golf in 2010 as he joined an elite company in winning the Missouri Amateur Championship. Notable past Champions include Tom Watson, Jim Colbert, John Daly, Jim Jackson, and Don Bliss. In 2011 he won the Missouri Mid-Amateur Championship and in 2012 the Missouri Stroke Play Championship. Nurski has competed in several USGA Championships. He missed qualifying for the 2008 US Open finishing one stroke out and was the low amateur. He qualified for the 2008 USGA Mid Amateur and played on the USGA State of Missouri Team in 2010.   In 2023 he was inducted into the St. Joseph Area Sports Hall of Fame.    Currently, Brad resides in St. Joseph with his wife Danielle, and son Jaxson.

Former Griffon golf standout Tom Buffington returns to Missouri Western in 2024 as an assistant men's and women's golf coach. A Saint Peters, Missouri native, Buffington attended MWSU from 2017-2022, earning a degree in Business Management and Marketing. As a Griffon golfer, Buffington was named first-team all-MIAA in 2021 and '22. Buffington finished his senior season with an average score of 74.1 and finished in a tournament's top 10 three times. Buffington spent the last two years as a graduate assistant for the Western Illinois University golf program, while earning his graduate degree in sports management.