Mason Banger

Mason Banger enters his third season as an assistant coach with UCLA men’s golf in 2025–26, continuing to play a key role in the Bruins’ resurgence under head coach Armen Kirakossian. Since joining the program in July 2023, Banger has helped guide UCLA to back-to-back NCAA postseason appearances, including a berth at the 2025 NCAA Championships—the team’s first since 2018. In just two seasons, the Bruins have recorded 11 top-three finishes, three team tournament victories, and a Big Ten Championship in their inaugural season in the conference. A former collegiate standout and accomplished teacher of the game, Banger has been integral to player development and recruitment within the program. Under his guidance, UCLA golfers Pablo Ereño and Omar Morales earned All-America honors and top-10 PGA TOUR University rankings, while freshman Baylor Larrabee was named 2025 Big Ten Freshman of the Year. Banger’s emphasis on technical precision and competitive consistency has helped UCLA post consecutive under-par seasons as a team—something the program hadn’t achieved in over a decade. Before joining UCLA, Banger gained coaching experience at Abilene Christian, Louisiana, and Harding University, his alma mater. At Abilene Christian, he helped lead the Wildcats to their first-ever Division I conference championship in 2022 and an NCAA Regional appearance. As a player at Harding (2014–18), Banger set multiple program records, including career wins (3) and stroke average (73.99), while earning All-Great American Conference and All-Region honors. He also holds a master’s degree in kinesiology and has served as a caddie at elite PGA Tour events, including the U.S. Open and Memorial Tournament.