Hart joins head coach J.C. Deacon, earning national coach of the year honors.
NORMAN, Okla. – Gator Great and assistant coach Dudley Hart was named the 2023 Jan Strickland Outstanding Assistant Coach of the Year by the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCCA) on Tuesday.
Hart is only the second Gator to receive the award in program history, joining John Handrigan in 2015. This marks the first time in program history that Florida has won the national assistant and head coach of the year awards as J.C. Deacon received it for the first time in his career.
Prior to his current role, Hart served as a volunteer assistant coach from 2017-20 before being named assistant coach on Sept. 15, 2021.
He helped lead the Gators to its fifth National Championship in program history and first in 22 years as Florida also swept NCAAs with Fred Biondi winning the individual title. It was the third UF golfer (Nick Gilliam 2001, Bob Murphy 1966) to achieve the honor and second time in 30 years the program swept both titles. Florida is one of seven schools to achieve the mark twice.
UF reached match play at nationals for the first time in program history and its best finish in the match play era (2009) last year in 10th. Florida played in the fourth round of stroke play for the fifth time in program history and second with Hart. It was also the second consecutive season to clinch a spot in the final 18.
Florida finished stroke play in 2nd with a score of 1,118 (-2), its lowest all-time at Grayhawk and first under par team score at the NCAAs since 2006. The 1,118 was the lowest round score at the National Championships in program history. A final round of 279 (-1) marks the third consecutive under round after back-to-back 2-under 278s in round two and three. The -2 performance by UF is the best round at the NCAA Championships since the opening round in 2007.
Hart helped guide Florida to its 16th SEC Championship and first in 12 years. The Gators got revenge in a rematch and defeat of No. 1 Vanderbilt 3-1-1 at Sea Island. The conference championship was Hart’s second overall as he won one in 1989 as a player.
The Gators won the NCAA team and individual title and conference title in the same season for the first time ever.
Florida claimed six team titles and six individual titles this season. The six team wins was the most since seven in 2003-04 as it was the sixth time the Gators have won at least six events in a season. The six medalist honors tied the program record in a season and only the third time in Florida history, the others were in 1989-90 when Hart was on the team and in 2010-11.
Prior to the postseason, the Orange and Blue won four regular season tournaments, including the season opener and finale. At the Augusta Haskins Award Invite, Florida finished 39-under par, to tie second all-time in program history by par and only three shots away from the record (-42).
At the VyStar Credit Union Gators Invitational, Florida won its home event for the fourth straight year and the 29th time overall in the tournament’s 46th occurrence.
Hart saw four golfers (Fred Biondi, Ricky Castillo, John DuBois and Yuxin Lin) all earn PING All-American honors, tied for the most selections by a school this year and tied the Florida record. It was the seventh time the Gators had four selections with the last time being in 2006. Biondi, Castillo, Lin and Quentin Debove were also selected to the PING All-Region Team. The trio of Biondi, Castillo and Lin collected All-SEC honors with Matthew Kress collecting freshman team recognition.
A four-year (1987-90) player at Florida himself, Hart was the 1987 SEC Freshman of the Year, a three-time First-Team All-SEC selection, and a four-time All-American. He is one of five Gators in program history to be a four-time All-American and was the first of eight to earn SEC Freshman of the Year honors. Hart went on to have a decorated professional career that included two PGA TOUR victories; at the 1996 RBC Canadian Open and the 2000 Honda Classic, where he reached as high as 21st in the World Rankings.
A four-year (1987-90) letter winner, Hart was the 1987 SEC Freshman of the Year, a three-time First-Team All-SEC selection, and a four-time All-American. He is one of five Gators in program history to be a four-time All-American and was the first of eight to earn SEC Freshman of the Year honors. Hart went on to have a decorated professional career that included two PGA TOUR victories; at the 1996 RBC Canadian Open and the 2000 Honda Classic, where he reached as high as 21st in the World Rankings.
Quotable
Head Coach J.C. Deacon said…
“I’m very happy that Coach Hart’s tireless work ethic and dedication to our players and the University of Florida is being rewarded. “He has been a tremendous addition to our golf program and his impact on and off the golf course has been incredible. I have a great deal of trust and appreciation for Dudley. He’s a great friend and model college golf coach.”
Assistant Coach Dudley Hart said…
“Thank you for the honor of being selected as the 2023 Jan Strickland Award winner. I am humbled to be considered for this Award along with the other finalists, Bo Andrews, Justin Bardgett, Isaiah Logue and Chris Williams. And, I am equally humbled to join the other Award winners. I also extend my thanks to Scott Strickland, Mike Spiegler and J.C. Deacon. They have made it possible for an old golf professional, with no prior coaching experience, to live my dream. I have been fortunate during my life to learn from some of the greatest teachers and players in the world. First and foremost, my deepest thanks to my father, Chuck. He introduced me as a young boy to the game that I love to this day – and all that golf has given me started with my Dad.
“To say that coaching at my alma mater is a dream come true is an understatement. At this stage in my life, it is a special experience for me to be able to help the student-athletes on the Gator Golf Team improve as golfers and to grow as young men.
“I accept the Strickland Award on behalf of a team that has supported me over the years and has made this year very special. My wife, Suzanne, is the best teammate I could ever have in my life. I am blessed by the love we share and the support she gives me each day. J.C., you went above and beyond to bring me on board as your Assistant Coach, and your exemplary leadership of the team and as a mentor to me was recognized by the Dave Williams Division I National Coach of the Year and the SEC Coach of the Year. As J.C. would agree, no coaching award is won without great players. J.C. and I challenged exceptionally talented and dedicated young men to work harder and more focused than they ever had before – and, not surprisingly, each member of the Gator Golf Team welcomed and met all of the challenges from the start of the season to the celebration of the first SEC Championship and the fifth NCAA Division I Men’s Golf Championship. I share the Strickland Award with each member of the Gator Golf Team.”
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