Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Men's Golf
McEntire, Mark
Mark McEntire
- Title:
- Head Coach
- Email:
- mark.mcentire@mtsu.edu
- Phone:
- 898-5754
Twitter: coachmcentire72
Updated July 2023
Middle Tennessee tabbed 17-year coaching veteran Mark McEntire to lead the men’s golf program on July 25, 2018. His tenure has started with two consecutive Conference USA team titles followed by an individual championship by Michael Barnard in 2022 as well as three team NCAA Regional appearances. The Blue Raiders have been represented in each NCAA postseason of McEntire's tenure.
McEntire led MTSU to an at-large bid in the NCAA Salem Regional hosted by Clemson. The Blue Raiders finished the season ranked No. 66 in the final Golfstat rankings, led by CUSA Player of the Year Owen Stamper. The MTSU roster also featured CUSA Freshman of the Year Markus Varjun, as well as All-CUSA selections in Michael Barnard and Kevin Jegers and All-Freshman team honorees Varjun and Carter Maneth. Stamper, Varjun and Barnard combined for six CUSA Player of the Week awards during the '22-23 campaign.
The 2021-22 season saw the Blue Raiders win two team titles and finish in the top five of six tournaments. Barnard was named First Team All-Conference, while Nick Wolf garnered Second Team recognition. Middle Tennessee's back-to-back team titles to start the spring season led to a Golfweek National Team of the Week award for March 1. Wolf and Barnard also advanced to the NCAA Norman Regional.
The Blue Raiders captured their second C-USA title in as many chances under McEntire in 2021, leading to his second C-USA Coach of the Year award. MTSU advanced to the NCAA Stillwater Regional, led by All-Conference selections Tanner Owens and Kevin Jegers.
The 2020-21 season saw MTSU win three straight team titles before knocking off North Texas 3-0-2 in match play for the conference crown. Five different Blue Raiders combined to win six C-USA Golfer of the Week awards that season.
The 2019-20 season was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic after six tournaments, highlghted by a third-place finish at the Little Rock Invitational.
McEntire wasted no time continuing the Blue Raiders’ storied tradition, leading his revamped roster to win the 2019 C-USA Championship and earn a berth in the NCAA Myrtle Beach Regional on his way to C-USA Coach of the Year honors in his first season at the helm.
His first campaign also saw the Blue Raiders attain immense individual success on and off the course highlighted by three individual titles in six regular season tournaments in the spring, while senior Marcus Byrd took home C-USA Male Golfer of the Year honors.
Byrd was joined on the All-Conference USA First Team by sophomore Cooper Sears while junior Tanner Owens earned a Second Team selection. Owens and senior James Beckner also collected C-USA All-Academic Team honors in 2019.
After a promising year two was cut short due to COVID-19, McEntire’s bunch was back for more in year three. The 2020-21 Blue Raiders claimed four team titles, including their first at home event the Intercollegiate at The Grove and the program’s third consecutive C-USA title, leading McEntire to his second C-USA Coach of the Year recognition.
Middle Tennessee’s appearance in the NCAA Stillwater Regional in 2021 makes it one of just seven teams in the nation from outside the Power 5 conferences to boast an active streak of four or more consecutive regional appearances. Since 2008, the Blue Raiders have now appeared in 10 regionals in 13 seasons, more than any other program in Conference USA.
The former College of Charleston head coach became the eighth head coach in Middle Tennessee men’s golf history following a 13-year stint in Charleston. His tenure with the Cougars included four Colonial Athletic Association championships (2014, ‘15, ‘16, ‘17), four NCAA Regional appearances (2014, ‘15, ‘16, ‘17) and seven total team championships in the last five seasons.
His efforts leading the Cougars netted him CAA Coach of the Year honors in 2014, 2016 and 2017, while he nearly led College of Charleston to a fifth straight conference title and regional appearance in 2018. His most recent Cougar squad finished two strokes off the championship pace despite playing with a roster featuring 11 underclassmen and no upperclassmen.
In addition to incredible team success during College of Charleston’s five seasons as CAA members, McEntire also developed players that have achieved tremendous individual success both inside and outside the Cougar men’s golf program.
In his last five seasons in Charleston, McEntire’s teams produced four CAA Player of the Year honorees, four CAA individual champions, 11 CAA All-Conference selections and 11 CAA All-Tournament team selections. He led Cougar golfer Michael Sass to CAA Rookie of the Year honors in 2017 and former Cougar Josh Lorenzetti to Southern Conference Freshman of the Year honors and a SoCon individual title in 2013.
Additionally, McEntire coached former Cougar standout William Rainey to the NCAA Championship as an individual qualifier in 2016, the same season in which Rainey was named the second Ping Division I All-American in College of Charleston history.
The Cougars also enjoyed impressive academic success during McEntire’s run at the helm of the program as College of Charleston boasted six GCAA All-American Scholars and four CAA All-Academic Team selections in the last five seasons while all 33 seniors left College of Charleston with college diplomas.
Prior to his 13 seasons in Charleston, McEntire spent one season as an assistant coach at Louisiana State University (2004-05) and three seasons as the head coach at Division II St. Edward’s (TX) University (2001-04) where he led the Hilltoppers to their first ever NCAA Division II Regional Tournament.
The Austin, Texas, native earned his bachelor’s degree in Sports Management from the University of Texas in 2000 and was a four-year letterman for the Longhorns in men’s golf.
While competing at Texas, McEntire participated in the 1999 U.S. Amateur at Pebble Beach and the 2000 Public Links Championship in Portland, Ore.
Following his graduation, McEntire spent time working in the Longhorns’ athletic compliance office and as a teacher of beginning and advanced golf classes at UT.
McEntire esides in Murfreesboro with his wife, Meredith, and their two sons, Ford Liam and Grayson Carter.
Updated July 2023
Middle Tennessee tabbed 17-year coaching veteran Mark McEntire to lead the men’s golf program on July 25, 2018. His tenure has started with two consecutive Conference USA team titles followed by an individual championship by Michael Barnard in 2022 as well as three team NCAA Regional appearances. The Blue Raiders have been represented in each NCAA postseason of McEntire's tenure.
McEntire led MTSU to an at-large bid in the NCAA Salem Regional hosted by Clemson. The Blue Raiders finished the season ranked No. 66 in the final Golfstat rankings, led by CUSA Player of the Year Owen Stamper. The MTSU roster also featured CUSA Freshman of the Year Markus Varjun, as well as All-CUSA selections in Michael Barnard and Kevin Jegers and All-Freshman team honorees Varjun and Carter Maneth. Stamper, Varjun and Barnard combined for six CUSA Player of the Week awards during the '22-23 campaign.
The 2021-22 season saw the Blue Raiders win two team titles and finish in the top five of six tournaments. Barnard was named First Team All-Conference, while Nick Wolf garnered Second Team recognition. Middle Tennessee's back-to-back team titles to start the spring season led to a Golfweek National Team of the Week award for March 1. Wolf and Barnard also advanced to the NCAA Norman Regional.
The Blue Raiders captured their second C-USA title in as many chances under McEntire in 2021, leading to his second C-USA Coach of the Year award. MTSU advanced to the NCAA Stillwater Regional, led by All-Conference selections Tanner Owens and Kevin Jegers.
The 2020-21 season saw MTSU win three straight team titles before knocking off North Texas 3-0-2 in match play for the conference crown. Five different Blue Raiders combined to win six C-USA Golfer of the Week awards that season.
The 2019-20 season was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic after six tournaments, highlghted by a third-place finish at the Little Rock Invitational.
McEntire wasted no time continuing the Blue Raiders’ storied tradition, leading his revamped roster to win the 2019 C-USA Championship and earn a berth in the NCAA Myrtle Beach Regional on his way to C-USA Coach of the Year honors in his first season at the helm.
His first campaign also saw the Blue Raiders attain immense individual success on and off the course highlighted by three individual titles in six regular season tournaments in the spring, while senior Marcus Byrd took home C-USA Male Golfer of the Year honors.
Byrd was joined on the All-Conference USA First Team by sophomore Cooper Sears while junior Tanner Owens earned a Second Team selection. Owens and senior James Beckner also collected C-USA All-Academic Team honors in 2019.
After a promising year two was cut short due to COVID-19, McEntire’s bunch was back for more in year three. The 2020-21 Blue Raiders claimed four team titles, including their first at home event the Intercollegiate at The Grove and the program’s third consecutive C-USA title, leading McEntire to his second C-USA Coach of the Year recognition.
Middle Tennessee’s appearance in the NCAA Stillwater Regional in 2021 makes it one of just seven teams in the nation from outside the Power 5 conferences to boast an active streak of four or more consecutive regional appearances. Since 2008, the Blue Raiders have now appeared in 10 regionals in 13 seasons, more than any other program in Conference USA.
The former College of Charleston head coach became the eighth head coach in Middle Tennessee men’s golf history following a 13-year stint in Charleston. His tenure with the Cougars included four Colonial Athletic Association championships (2014, ‘15, ‘16, ‘17), four NCAA Regional appearances (2014, ‘15, ‘16, ‘17) and seven total team championships in the last five seasons.
His efforts leading the Cougars netted him CAA Coach of the Year honors in 2014, 2016 and 2017, while he nearly led College of Charleston to a fifth straight conference title and regional appearance in 2018. His most recent Cougar squad finished two strokes off the championship pace despite playing with a roster featuring 11 underclassmen and no upperclassmen.
In addition to incredible team success during College of Charleston’s five seasons as CAA members, McEntire also developed players that have achieved tremendous individual success both inside and outside the Cougar men’s golf program.
In his last five seasons in Charleston, McEntire’s teams produced four CAA Player of the Year honorees, four CAA individual champions, 11 CAA All-Conference selections and 11 CAA All-Tournament team selections. He led Cougar golfer Michael Sass to CAA Rookie of the Year honors in 2017 and former Cougar Josh Lorenzetti to Southern Conference Freshman of the Year honors and a SoCon individual title in 2013.
Additionally, McEntire coached former Cougar standout William Rainey to the NCAA Championship as an individual qualifier in 2016, the same season in which Rainey was named the second Ping Division I All-American in College of Charleston history.
The Cougars also enjoyed impressive academic success during McEntire’s run at the helm of the program as College of Charleston boasted six GCAA All-American Scholars and four CAA All-Academic Team selections in the last five seasons while all 33 seniors left College of Charleston with college diplomas.
Prior to his 13 seasons in Charleston, McEntire spent one season as an assistant coach at Louisiana State University (2004-05) and three seasons as the head coach at Division II St. Edward’s (TX) University (2001-04) where he led the Hilltoppers to their first ever NCAA Division II Regional Tournament.
The Austin, Texas, native earned his bachelor’s degree in Sports Management from the University of Texas in 2000 and was a four-year letterman for the Longhorns in men’s golf.
While competing at Texas, McEntire participated in the 1999 U.S. Amateur at Pebble Beach and the 2000 Public Links Championship in Portland, Ore.
Following his graduation, McEntire spent time working in the Longhorns’ athletic compliance office and as a teacher of beginning and advanced golf classes at UT.
McEntire esides in Murfreesboro with his wife, Meredith, and their two sons, Ford Liam and Grayson Carter.
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