U of M women’s golf coach retires

University of Minnesota head women’s golf coach Michele Redman will retire in January 2021, the university announced Thursday.

Redman has led the Gophers since 2011 after a successful 20-year LPGA professional career.

"The last several months have been eye-opening on how much I missed at home because of my career," said Redman. "This is the longest I haven’t been on an airplane in 40 years and it’s been a nice change. I’m ready to take that next step.

"My decision was easy, but telling the student-athletes was difficult. We have great students and I am going to miss coaching them and watching them compete at the highest level of collegiate golf. However, I know they are in good hands with this administration and the resources they have. I’m proud of what we have accomplished, from rebuilding a program to fundraising for a new facility. This program is headed in the right direction, and I am ready to hand the reins to someone else."

Redman led the Gophers to one of the best seasons in program history in 2013-14, recording an NCAA Central Regional berth in 2014 for just the seventh in school history, while the Maroon & Gold finished just two strokes shy of a trip to the NCAA championships.

She’s also coached student-athletes to 42 academic All-Big Ten honors and 25 WGCA All-American Scholar awards, in addition to playing a prominent fundraising role in the team’s first-ever indoor golf training facility.

"I want to congratulate Coach Redman on her retirement," said Director of Athletics Mark Coyle. "Michele has dedicated her life to golf. She was an All-American in the Big Ten, enjoyed a 20-year LPGA career and has led the Gophers since 2011. She guided our program with class and integrity, and her student-athletes achieved success on the course, in the classroom and in the community. Michele also played a tremendous role in helping secure funding for the state-of-the-art John W. Mooty Golf Facility, which opened in 2019. I want to thank her for her service to Minnesota and wish her well in retirement."

Coyle said a search for the next head coach will begin soon.

Redman, who won twice on the LPGA Tour, is a graduate of Indiana University, where she was a four-time All-Big Ten selection, a two-time All-American and the medalist of the 1987 Big Ten Championships. She’s a member of the Indiana University Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame and the National College Golf Coaches Hall of Fame, and was a member of four United States Solheim Cup teams.