DWU Athletic Department

Adam Anderson
Head Men’s and Women’s Golf Coach
University of Notre Dame ’01
University of Notre Dame ’03
adanders@dwu.edu
605-995-2179

Championship seasons and trips to the NAIA National Championships have become the norm during Adam Anderson’s tenure as the head men’s and women’s golf coach at Dakota Wesleyan University. Anderson is entering his fifth season as the head of the Tigers’ golf programs, and both teams have become mainstays atop the Great Plains Athletic Conference standings and in the national spotlight.

The 2008-09 season was no exception. The Tiger women ran away with the GPAC title – their third under Anderson and their sixth in the past seven years – and earned another trip to the NAIA Women’s Golf National Championships. It was the DWU women’s fourth trip to nationals in as many seasons under Anderson and sixth in a row overall. Anderson received his second GPAC Women’s Golf Coach-of-the-Year honors, and his team also had the GPAC Women’s Golfer-of-the-Year in freshman Dani Bellet, four All-GPAC selections and an NAIA Scholar-Athlete.

The DWU men’s team also secured its first trip to the NAIA Men’s Golf National Championships thanks to its second-place finish in the GPAC. Three DWU golfers were named to the All-GPAC team and three also earned NAIA Scholar-Athlete honors. The Tiger men’s trip to nationals came on the heels of their 2007-08 conference title, when Anderson was named the GPAC Men’s Golf Coach-of-the-Year. In the past two seasons, the Tiger men have broken or tied every school team and individual scoring record.

In his four seasons at DWU, Anderson has won a total of four GPAC titles, three Region III titles and has made five trips to the NAIA National Championships. He has received coaching honors in all four seasons with three GPAC Coach-of-the-Year awards in addition to three NAIA Region III Coach-of-the-Year honors.

On the women’s side, Anderson has coached one NAIA All-American Honorable Mention, the first in the history of the DWU golf programs, two GPAC Players-of-the-Year and three NAIA Region III Golfers-of-the-Year. Overall, Anderson has had 24 All-Conference performers, 27 GPAC Players-of-the-Week and has had 10 NAIA Scholar-Athletes under his leadership.

Coach Anderson believes Dakota Wesleyan offers a great situation for competitive high school golfers who wish to take their game to the next level. Besides having access to two beautiful 18-hole golf courses in Mitchell, he incorporates state-of-the-art video analysis to properly discern swing flaws and changes. The Tigers’ challenging schedule allows the men’s and women’s teams to compete in fall and spring golf seasons. Each team routinely plays six or seven events each season or up to 14 per year. Furthermore, to fine-tune their skills before the spring tournaments begin, Anderson offers any member of his team an opportunity to attend a spring break golf trip to a southern location.

He came to DWU after spending three years teaching and coaching in Oklahoma City and Kansas City, Mo., while working at various golf courses as an assistant golf professional.

A four-year member of the Fighting Irish golf team at Notre Dame, Anderson made the traveling team his final two years. His best season came during his junior year when he was named to the NCAA Academic All-America Team and the Big East Conference All-Conference Team in 1999-2000.

During the summers following his junior and senior years, Anderson stayed in South Bend to help run the Nike Junior Golf programs as a camp counselor and an on-course instructor.

Originally from the Mitchell area, Anderson worked locally during the summers at Lakeview Municipal Golf Course. In 1999 and 2006, he won the Mitchell City Golf Tournament.

Anderson is married and lives in Mitchell with his wife, Heather.

For more information on becoming a Tiger golfer, fill out an online golf questionnaire and Coach Anderson will contact you.

Jenny Schneider
Graduate Assistant
Drury University ’07
jeschnei@dwu.edu

Jenny Schneider is entering her second season as a graduate assistant coach for the Dakota Wesleyan University men’s and women’s golf teams. During her first year with the Tigers, she spent most of her time coaching the DWU women to their sixth Great Plains Athletic Conference Championship in the last seven years. Under the direction of Schneider and head coach Adam Anderson, the DWU women also earned their sixth straight trip to the NAIA Women’s Golf National Championships, where they made the cut and finished 18th.

In 2008-09, Schneider coached the GPAC Women’s Golfer-of-the-Year, four All-GPAC golfers, one NAIA Scholar-Athlete and DWU golfers won the GPAC Women’s Golfer-of-the-Week award five times. Schneider also assisted with the Tiger men’s team, which qualified for the first NAIA Men’s Golf National Championship berth in school history.

Schneider came to DWU following a successful college golf career and one year as an assistant coach at Drury University (Mo.). Following one season at Rhodes College (Tenn.) as a freshman, Schneider transferred to Drury, where she earned All-Conference honors in each of her final three seasons, which were highlighted by a pair of top-25 finishes at the NCAA Division II Women’s Golf National Championships. Schneider’s Drury teams were ranked as high as sixth in the nation and finished as high as fourth at nationals.

After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in exercise and sports science in August 2007, Schneider joined the coaching staff at Drury as an assistant coach for the spring 2008 season. She has also played in qualifying tournaments for the LPGA and Futures Tours, as well as the Harder Hall Invitational, The Sally, the Women’s Trans National and the Women’s Western tournaments.

Schneider’s golfing roots run deeper than her college achievements. Her father, Michael, was a two-time NCAA Division III All-American at the College of Wooster (Ohio), and she received professional-level instruction growing up in Springfield, Mo. Two-time U.S. Open champion Payne Stewart belonged to the same club as Schneider’s family, and Schneider was taught by Stewart’s former coach, Sam Reynolds.

At DWU, Schneider is pursuing a Master of Arts degree in educational policy and administration. When she’s not golfing, Schneider enjoys spending time with family and friends, as well as horseback riding and skiing, and she is an accomplished violinist.

Brett Coluccio
Volunteer Assistant Coach
brcolucc@dwu.edu

Brett Coluccio is in his second season as a volunteer assistant coach with the Dakota Wesleyan golf teams. Coluccio brings some impressive golf credentials and expertise to the program and is a valuable asset to Anderson’s staff.

Coluccio played collegiately at the NCAA DII level at Hillsdale College in Hillsdale, Mich., and Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, Mo., and he continues to enjoy success in the amateur ranks. In 2009, Coluccio captured state amateur titles in both South Dakota and Missouri and he was named to the SDGA’s SODAK Cup team. He is a two-time alternate for the U.S. Amateur Championships and has advanced to the regional qualifying round for the U.S. Open four times, losing in a playoff twice.

In just one previous season at Dakota Wesleyan, Coluccio has helped the Tiger golf programs reach new levels of success. In 2008-09 the DWU women captured the Great Plains Athletic Conference championship and earned their sixth-straight trip to the NAIA Women’s Golf National Championship. The Tiger men also had a banner year, finishing second in the GPAC and earning their first-ever bid to the NAIA Men’s Golf National Championship. Coluccio coached seven All-GPAC selections, three NAIA Scholar Athletes and one GPAC Player-of-the-Year.

Currently, Coluccio works as an admissions counselor at Dakota Wesleyan and he works closely with the Tiger athletic department on recruiting. He is also completing a history degree at Dakota Wesleyan.