Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
McEntire named Phillip Hatchett Co-Coach of the Year
5/4/2021 12:00:00 PM | Men's Golf, BRAA
Owens, Jegers and Stamper receive all-league honors
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – After claiming its third consecutive Conference USA title last Thursday, the Middle Tennessee Men's Golf team is well represented once again in the 2021 Conference USA postseason awards with Head Coach Mark McEntire headlining the honorees as the 2021 Phillip Hatchett Co-Coach of the Year.
"It's an incredible honor to be named Coach of the Year in Conference USA," McEntire stated. "There are so many good players, teams, and coaches in this league which makes it really special to be chosen by your peers as one of the best this season."
Blue Raider senior Tanner Owens claimed his third consecutive All-Conference USA honor as a member of the Third Team and was joined by rookie teammate Kevin Jegers.
Jegers and freshman classmate Owen Stamper also claimed two of the five spots on C-USA's All—Freshman Team.
"What an incredible year it has been for this team and all of our players," McEntire added. "These three guys, along with several others on our team who very easily could have been all-conference selections as well, played a big role in our success this season.
"Tanner has consistently been a strong performer for us ever since I arrived at Middle Tennessee and that shows with his third all-conference honor this year, and Kevin and Owen are two key pieces of the very bright future that Middle Tennessee Men's Golf has ahead of it."
Owens boasts a 72.5 stroke average and has 12 rounds of par or better in his senior campaign, during which he claimed Top 5 finishes at the Intercollegiate at The Grove and the Conference USA Championship and finished tied for 27th or better in eight of nine events on the year.
The lefty's strong career is nearing its end after six Top 5 finishes, seven Top 10 finishes, 19 Top 20 finishes, 44 rounds of par or better, 13 rounds in the 60s and a career stroke average of 73.0 that ranks fifth in program history.
Jegers – who arrived from his home country of Estonia in mid-January – took the spring season by storm with a stellar 72.2 stroke average that makes him MT's low average on the year.
He collected 10 rounds of par or better in 18 trips around the course, finished tied for 24th or better in all five events following his collegiate debut, and claimed C-USA All-Tournament honors thanks in part to a highly impressive, bogey-free 65 on the second day that matches the lowest round ever by a Blue Raider freshman.
Stamper shares the aforementioned MT freshman record for low round with Jegers after firing a 7-under par 65 at the Southern Invitational earlier this spring that marked one of his nine rounds of par or better this season as he turned in a stroke average of 73.8 on the year and 73.1 in the spring.
He claimed Top 5 finishes at both the Raines Company intercollegiate and Southern Invitational to start the spring semester and tied for 13th at last week's Conference USA Championship.
The Coach of the Year honor – named in honor of late WKU Head Coach Phillip Hatchett – is the second for McEntire in three seasons at Middle Tennessee (2019, 2021) and the fifth of his career after claiming Colonial Athletic Association Coach of the Year honors three times at College of Charleston (2014, 2016, 2017).
With the C-USA Championship trophy now safely back in the 'Boro, the Blue Raiders now eye their fourth consecutive trip to NCAA Regionals with their destination to be announced Wednesday at 1:00 p.m. on the Golf Channel.
2020-21 CONFERENCE USA POSTSEASON AWARDS
Golfer of the Year
Nick Robillard, UAB
Freshman of the Year
Vicente Marzilio, North Texas
Phillip Hatchett Co-Coach of the Year
Mark McEntire, Middle Tennessee
Mike Wilson, UAB
All-Conference First Team
Nick Robillard, UAB
Vicente Marzilio, North Texas
Chad Sewell, UTSA
John Gough, Charlotte
Enrique Dimayuga, Florida Atlantic
All-Conference Second Team
Drew Mathers, UAB
Khavish Varadan, UAB
Christian Fanfelle, UTSA
Matt Sharpstene, Charlotte
Ben Woodruff, Charlotte
All-Conference Third Team
Kevin Jegers, Middle Tennessee
Tanner Owens, Middle Tennessee
Max Sturdza, Florida Atlantic
Lenny Bergsson, North Texas
Mac Murphy, Louisiana Tech
All-Freshman Team
Vicente Marzilio, North Texas
Kevin Jegers, Middle Tennessee
Nikhil Gopal, North Texas
Owen Stamper, Middle Tennessee
Rodrigo Martin, Rice
"It's an incredible honor to be named Coach of the Year in Conference USA," McEntire stated. "There are so many good players, teams, and coaches in this league which makes it really special to be chosen by your peers as one of the best this season."
Blue Raider senior Tanner Owens claimed his third consecutive All-Conference USA honor as a member of the Third Team and was joined by rookie teammate Kevin Jegers.
Jegers and freshman classmate Owen Stamper also claimed two of the five spots on C-USA's All—Freshman Team.
"What an incredible year it has been for this team and all of our players," McEntire added. "These three guys, along with several others on our team who very easily could have been all-conference selections as well, played a big role in our success this season.
"Tanner has consistently been a strong performer for us ever since I arrived at Middle Tennessee and that shows with his third all-conference honor this year, and Kevin and Owen are two key pieces of the very bright future that Middle Tennessee Men's Golf has ahead of it."
Owens boasts a 72.5 stroke average and has 12 rounds of par or better in his senior campaign, during which he claimed Top 5 finishes at the Intercollegiate at The Grove and the Conference USA Championship and finished tied for 27th or better in eight of nine events on the year.
The lefty's strong career is nearing its end after six Top 5 finishes, seven Top 10 finishes, 19 Top 20 finishes, 44 rounds of par or better, 13 rounds in the 60s and a career stroke average of 73.0 that ranks fifth in program history.
Jegers – who arrived from his home country of Estonia in mid-January – took the spring season by storm with a stellar 72.2 stroke average that makes him MT's low average on the year.
He collected 10 rounds of par or better in 18 trips around the course, finished tied for 24th or better in all five events following his collegiate debut, and claimed C-USA All-Tournament honors thanks in part to a highly impressive, bogey-free 65 on the second day that matches the lowest round ever by a Blue Raider freshman.
Stamper shares the aforementioned MT freshman record for low round with Jegers after firing a 7-under par 65 at the Southern Invitational earlier this spring that marked one of his nine rounds of par or better this season as he turned in a stroke average of 73.8 on the year and 73.1 in the spring.
He claimed Top 5 finishes at both the Raines Company intercollegiate and Southern Invitational to start the spring semester and tied for 13th at last week's Conference USA Championship.
The Coach of the Year honor – named in honor of late WKU Head Coach Phillip Hatchett – is the second for McEntire in three seasons at Middle Tennessee (2019, 2021) and the fifth of his career after claiming Colonial Athletic Association Coach of the Year honors three times at College of Charleston (2014, 2016, 2017).
With the C-USA Championship trophy now safely back in the 'Boro, the Blue Raiders now eye their fourth consecutive trip to NCAA Regionals with their destination to be announced Wednesday at 1:00 p.m. on the Golf Channel.
2020-21 CONFERENCE USA POSTSEASON AWARDS
Golfer of the Year
Nick Robillard, UAB
Freshman of the Year
Vicente Marzilio, North Texas
Phillip Hatchett Co-Coach of the Year
Mark McEntire, Middle Tennessee
Mike Wilson, UAB
All-Conference First Team
Nick Robillard, UAB
Vicente Marzilio, North Texas
Chad Sewell, UTSA
John Gough, Charlotte
Enrique Dimayuga, Florida Atlantic
All-Conference Second Team
Drew Mathers, UAB
Khavish Varadan, UAB
Christian Fanfelle, UTSA
Matt Sharpstene, Charlotte
Ben Woodruff, Charlotte
All-Conference Third Team
Kevin Jegers, Middle Tennessee
Tanner Owens, Middle Tennessee
Max Sturdza, Florida Atlantic
Lenny Bergsson, North Texas
Mac Murphy, Louisiana Tech
All-Freshman Team
Vicente Marzilio, North Texas
Kevin Jegers, Middle Tennessee
Nikhil Gopal, North Texas
Owen Stamper, Middle Tennessee
Rodrigo Martin, Rice
Players Mentioned
True Blue Testimonials - Yana Yordanova MTSU Soccer Midfielder - Presented by MMC
Thursday, September 25
Derek Mason LIVE: Presented by The Boulevard Bar & Grille Week 5
Tuesday, September 23
Blue Raider Notebook Presented by TOA - September 22nd
Monday, September 22
MTSU Football Weekly Press Conference 9/22/25
Monday, September 22
