Rice hires Justin Emil as head golf coach

FROM RICE ATHLETICS

Justin Emil is the Owls’ new head coach for men’s golf, announced Rice Director of Athletics Rick Greenspan. Emil comes to Rice after spending the past five seasons as assistant men’s golf coach at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn.

	JUSTIN EMIL

“It is a great honor to be a part of such a prestigious institution, and I am really looking forward to working with the current team of fine young men and a staff full of wonderful people in Athletics,” Emil said. “Many thanks to Rick Greenspan and Leslie Claybrook (senior associate athletic director) for their hard work during busy times in college athletics.”

“Justin brings the qualities that are critically important for a successful Rice coach,” Greenspan said. “He is bright, articulate, passionate and has served very effectively at a similar institution that competes in the classroom and on the golf course at the highest level. He has strong beliefs that academic excellence and athletic greatness are not mutually exclusive. Justin has a very solid plan for growing our golf program competitively, being actively engaged in community outreach and fundraising and being a strong member of the Rice community.”

During his time at Vanderbilt, the Commodores won three team championships — the Samford Intercollegiate, the 2009 Seminole Intercollegiate and the 2008 Kauai Collegiate Cup — and boasted four individual winners while earning postseason NCAA berths in 2007, 2009 and 2010.

Emil is still active on the golf course. In off-season competition, he placed 31st at the 2009 Tennessee State Amateur and finished sixth at the Tennessee State Mid-Amateur in the fall of 2009. In May 2009, Emil regained his amateur status after five years of professional golf.

He finished second in the Tennessee PGA Section Assistants Championship (74-67) in 2007 and qualified to play in the Taylor Made/Adidas PGA Assistants Championship.

He also played a big role in the development of Vandy Golf Day, which has raised more than $150,000 for the golf programs the past four years. He also helped introduce the Mason Rudolph Award, a special honor for service to Vanderbilt golf, which pays homage to former PGA Tour star and Commodore golf coach emeritus Mason Rudolph.

As a collegian, Emil enjoyed a stellar playing career at the University of Southern Mississippi, where he was a four-year letterman. He earned Conference USA Freshman of the Year honors in 2000 and was named All-Conference USA Second Team following his senior season in 2003. Emil has also qualified for the United State Amateur Championships in 2002 (Oakland Hills) and 2003 (Oakmont).

Emil earned his bachelor’s degree in sports administration in 2002 and his master’s degree in sports management in 2004, both from Southern Miss.