STANFORD, Calif. – Fresh off leading Stanford to its ninth NCAA championship, Knowles Family Director of Men's Golf Conrad Ray has received the 2019 Dave Williams Award presented by Golf Pride Grips as the Division I National Coach of the Year, it was announced Friday by the Golf Coaches Association of America.
Ray previously earned the honor in 2007 and becomes only the second in program history to win it twice. Wally Goodwin was recognized in 1994 and 1992.
Just completing his 15th year of coaching on The Farm, Ray guided the Cardinal to the national title on Wednesday at Blessings Golf Club in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Sixth-seeded Stanford defeated fifth-seeded Texas in the final, 3-2.
Playing one of the toughest schedules in the country, Stanford finished outside the top-10 once and had a spectacular spring, closing with consecutive wins at The Goodwin, Western Intercollegiate, Pac-12 Championships, NCAA Stanford Regional and NCAA Championships.
Named Pac-12 Coach of the Year in 2007 and 2014, Ray has taken his teams to 13 NCAA Championships and has produced 24 All-Americans, four Pac-12 Players of the Year, three Pac-12 Scholar Athletes of the Year, and three Pac-12 Freshmen of the Year. Twenty-one of his players have been selected All-Pac-12 first team.
Ray was a three-year letterman for the Cardinal and a member of the 1994 NCAA-champion squad. As a senior, he captained the team in 1997 and recorded six top-finishes, garnering all-Pac-10 on the course and in the classroom. Ray graduated with a bachelor's degree in public policy.