Auburn's Williams, Keiser's Logue Named 2024 Jan Strickland Award presented by TaylorMade Golf Company Recipients
NORMAN, Okla. – Chris Williams of Auburn (Division I) and Isaiah Logue of Keiser (NAIA) have been named the 2024 Jan Strickland Outstanding Assistant Coach Award presented by TaylorMade Golf Company recipients. The Strickland Award is presented to the NCAA Division I and Division II, III, NAIA, or NJCAA assistant coach that, among other things, has excelled in working with their student-athletes both on the course and in the classroom.
Chris Williams, Auburn (Division I)
“I’d like to thank the GCAA and the committee for naming me this year’s Division I Jan Strickland Award recipient,” Williams said. “I’d also like to thank Auburn and coach Clinard for giving me the opportunity to continue my coaching career on the Plains. This award isn’t possible without the stellar season we had, and I have to give all the credit to the guys on that roster who had an incredible run and historic season for AU golf. It truly is humbling and an honor to be named a recipient and be added to the long list of previous winners.”
Williams and Dave Williams Division I National Coach of the Year and Southeastern Conference (SEC) Coach of the Year Nick Clinard led Auburn to 10 team titles, doubling the previous program record. Winning their last seven tournaments, including the program’s first national championship and fifth SEC Championship, the Tigers were led on the course by PING All-Americans J.M. Butler, Jackson Koivun, and Brendan Valdes. Koivun is the only golfer to win the Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus, and Phil Mickelson Outstanding Freshman Awards in the same season.
“I’m extremely happy for Coach Williams,” said Clinard. “He’s an outstanding coach and an even better person. He works very hard to help the players and Auburn succeed at the highest level. The Auburn Golf Family is very proud of him. War Eagle, Coach Williams!”
A Moscow, Idaho, native, Williams is entering his fourth season at Auburn. The Tigers have won 17 tournaments since he arrived and have received six PING All-America, nine PING All-Southeast Region, seven All-SEC, and 21 SEC Golfer of the Week honors. Off the course, the Tigers have earned 26 SEC Academic Honor Roll, seven GCAA All-America Scholar, and two GCAA Outstanding Team Academic recognitions.
Hired by Auburn on June 11, 2021, Williams spent the previous two seasons as assistant coach at Marquette. The Eagles won two tournaments and received three PING All-Midwest Region, three All-BIG EAST, 15 BIG EAST All-Academic Team, six GCAA All-America Scholar, and two GCAA Outstanding Team Academic honors in his tenure. Williams was instrumental in the development of upperclassman Hunter Eichhorn and signing two top-60 national recruits. Eichhorn won three times, including the 2021 BIG EAST Championship, and finished with the lowest career scoring average in program history (71.60) with Williams on the coaching staff. Receiving accolades that included two PING All-Midwest Region and the 2021 BIG EAST Player of the Year, Eichhorn became Marquette’s first All-American since 2009 in 2020 as a PING Honorable Mention All-American.
Williams played collegiately at Washington (2009-13), where he was a four-time PING All-American and received the 2013 Ben Hogan Award, 2010 Phil Mickelson Award, and 2010 Pac-10 Freshman of the Year. He won six tournaments, including the 2012 NCAA Southwest Regional, and led the Huskies in stroke average each of his last three seasons. Williams earned the 2012 Mark H. McCormack Medal before spending 46 weeks as the top-ranked men’s amateur in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR®). He represented the United States in the 2011 and 2012 Arnold Palmer Cups, 2011 Walker Cup, 2012 World Amateur Team Championship, and 2013 Copa de las Americas before competing professionally on the Mackenzie Tour and PGA TOUR Latinoamérica.
Isaiah Logue, Keiser (Non-Division I)
“It means so much to have the opportunity to be accepting the 2024 Non-Division I Jan Strickland Outstanding Assistant Coach Award,” Logue said. “Most coaches, myself included, don’t take this role for the recognition, but rather the chance to see our athletes prosper on and off the course. Our programs have been very competitive year to year and we don’t see that changing. I believe a large part of why we are successful is due to the quality of coaches we have at Keiser University. Brandon Miller has been running a tight ship at Keiser for many years and it’s been a pleasure working alongside him with our men’s and women’s teams. Receiving this award, I hope, will continue to encourage more high quality athletes to attend Keiser. Go Seahawks!”
Logue helped lead Keiser to five team victories, seven individual titles, and 10 top-three finishes in 2023-24, including the program’s third top-three finish and sixth straight top-five finish at the NAIA National Championship. The Seahawks were led on the course by PING All-Americans Florian Benner, Nicolas Llanos, and Isac Wallin and Cobalt Golf All-America Scholars Benner, Llanos, Theodoros Michael, and Wallin. Wallin also received the NAIA Jack Nicklaus Award presented by Workday and inaugural Gary Player International Golfer of the Year Award presented by FlightScope while becoming Keiser’s first four-time PING All-American and multiple-time Sun Conference Golfer of the Year.
“Isaiah's recognition as the Non-Division I Jan Strickland Outstanding Assistant Coach is a testament to his dedication, passion, and unwavering commitment to the success of our student-athletes,” Miller said. “His ability to connect with our players, push them to their fullest potential, and contribute to their overall success as golfers, students, and people is invaluable to Keiser University. This award is well-deserved, and we are incredibly proud to have Isaiah as a vital part of our school and coaching staff.”
A Fairfield, Pa., native, Logue is entering his third season as Men’s and Women’s Golf Assistant Coach at Keiser. The Seahawk men have won 11 tournaments since he arrived and have received seven PING All-America, nine PING All-South Region, eight All-Sun Conference, and eight Sun Conference Golfer of the Week honors. Off the course, Keiser has earned 20 Sun Conference All-Academic Team, four College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-America, 10 GCAA All-America Scholar, and two GCAA Outstanding Team Academic Presidents Special Recognitions, including as the 2023-24 NAIA Academic National Champions.
Hired by Keiser on September 8, 2022, Logue spent the previous season as the assistant coach at Mount St. Mary’s. The Mountaineers won two tournaments and earned 10 Northeast Conference (NEC) Spring Academic Honor Roll recognitions, including GCAA All-America Scholar and Second Team All-NEC honoree Hank Schaefer.
Logue played collegiately at Liberty (2014-18), where he was named PING All-East Region in 2016 and 2017, All-Big South Conference three times (2015-17), and was the 2015 Big South Conference Rookie/Freshman of the Year. Turning professional in 2018, Logue qualified for three Korn Ferry Tour events, won the Coastal Players Tour’s "Carolina Shootout" in 2020, and was the 2019 Pennsylvania Open Champion.
Williams and Logue will be honored with their awards during the 2024 GCAA National Convention at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas December 10-12.
TaylorMade Golf Company has sponsored the Jan Strickland Outstanding Assistant Coach Award since its inception in 2003.
Previous Recipients
2023 - Dudley Hart, Florida
2022 - Matt Clark, North Carolina
2021 - Bill Allcorn, Oklahoma
2020 - Jean-Paul Hebert, Texas
2019 - Armen Kirakossian, Arizona State
2018 - Corey Maggard, Auburn
2017 - Ryan Blagg, Baylor
2016 - Andrew DiBitetto, North Carolina
2015 - John Handrigan, Florida
2014 - Chris Hill, Houston
2013 - Ryan Murphy, Texas
2012 - Jim Anderson, Texas A&M
2011 - Christian Newton, Georgia Tech
2010 - Michael Burcin, South Carolina
2009 - Brian Sharp, Virginia Tech
2008 - Walter Chun, California
2007 - Andy Bischel, UNLV
2006 - John Knauer, Arizona
2005 - Greg Robertson, Purdue
2004 - Bowen Sargent, Tennessee
2003 - Mike McGraw, Oklahoma State