Ben Hannan is in his 18th season as head men’s golf coach at the University of South Alabama, where he has built one of the most consistent programs in the Sun Belt Conference. During his tenure, the Jaguars have captured 11 tournament titles and recorded more than 30 additional top-three finishes. Hannan has guided South Alabama to four NCAA Regional team appearances, including the program’s first two at-large bids in 2013 and 2014. His teams have twice narrowly missed advancing to the NCAA Championship by three strokes or fewer. He led the Jaguars to Sun Belt Conference championships in 2005 and 2010, earning league Coach of the Year honors for his efforts. Under his direction, seven individuals have competed in NCAA postseason play, and numerous student-athletes have earned all-conference and national academic recognition.
Individually, Hannan has mentored standout performers such as All-American Gareth Maybin and Sun Belt Player of the Year Michael Garretson, while helping 15 student-athletes earn all-conference honors on 30 occasions. Off the course, the program has consistently excelled academically, earning repeated recognition from the Golf Coaches Association of America and the Sun Belt Conference. A former Jaguar himself, Hannan helped South Alabama win three Sun Belt titles during his playing career from 1991–94. He began his coaching career as a volunteer assistant at USA before serving as a teaching professional and later head coach at Charlotte from 2001–03. A native of Mason City, Iowa, Hannan holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from South Alabama and continues to lead the program with a strong emphasis on competitive excellence and academic achievement.
