NORMAN, Okla. — Lincoln Memorial University men’s and women’s golf coach Travis Muncy has been named 2019 Southeast Region Division II Coach of the Year by the Golf Coaches Association of America, which was presented by Golf Pride Grips.

Muncy, who just completed his 16th season at the helm of the men’s program, led LMU to the Division II National Championship Match, succumbing to Lynn University in the match play final 3-2. Along the way to the final, LMU defeated No. 1 seed Barry and No. 4 seed Florida Southern.

This marks the second year in a row that Muncy has been honored as Region Coach of the Year. Earlier in the year, Muncy nabbed his third South Atlantic Conference Coach of the Year Award.

“I’ve had some time to ponder on the National Championship run,” commented Muncy. “You really have to give it to Lynn, they have a great program. Winning the Southeast Region Coach of the Year is such an honor with all the other great coaches in the region.

“It was just a really fun run this year,” he continued. “Every year we have made it further in the tournament. Last year, we went out in the first round of match play; this year we were the eight seed playing the one seed (Barry), we beat them in an hour and a half later turned around to play the four seed (Florida Southern), beat them and played for the National Championship the next day.”

The 2019 season was a memorable one for the Railsplitters. The team took home five tournament trophies, winning four straight tournaments to close out the regular season. LMU also had two runner-up finishes, closing the 10-match season with seven finishes at No. 1 or 2.

“This was a great group of guys; they were a unit,” said Muncy. “They played well together and travelled well together. These guys were like brothers. It was a fun group to be around; they knew when to get serious and when to have fun.

“I credit all of my success to them. They are very coachable and do what is asked of them.”

The core of the top five will be coming back next year, with only Sam Broadhurst, a 2019 DII All-America winner, graduating. Returners are Harry Boyle, Hamish McColm, Dan Bradbury and Luke Harries.

In addition to being a two-time region winner, Muncy has been selected South Atlantic Coach of the Year four times and coached two All-America players, Broadhurst and Eric Kennedy.

“I have only coached two All-Americans, but I’m hoping that trend picks up in the future,” he said. “Dan Bradbury has really come on, Hamish just won the Welsh Boys Championship and Luke Harries and Harry Boyle are back. I have all the faith that he has the potential to be an All-American.”

During his tenure at LMU, Muncy has coached the men’s team to three SAC titles, 2010, 2013 and 2016, finishing in the top four of the conference tournament six of the last nine years. His men’s teams have played in the Southeast Regional two times.

Muncy took the reins of the women’s program in 2005. The Lady Railsplitters have finished in the top four of the SAC Championship in seven of the last nine years. In 2017-18, Lise Malherbe and Dominika Czudkova became the first pair of teammates to earn All-SAC first team honors in the same season, while Czudkova earned the program’s first bid to the NCAA Tournament since 2002. Malherbe, a 2019 All-SAC first-team member and SAC Scholar-Athlete of the Year, followed her teammates footsteps, earning a spot in the Division II South Super Regional to cap off her college career, as well.