Davies Steps Down as MSU Golf Coach
8/14/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Golf
Montana State University’s women’s golf program, is turnig thoseduties over to assistant coach Brittany Basye, Davies and MSUAthletic Director Peter Fields announced on Wednesday.
Davies, who built a highly-successful and competitive Bobcatprogram from the ground up, will focus his energy on administrativeduties. Davies is Senior Associate Athletic Director at MontanaState, and has been an athletic administrator at the school for 14years.
"Dan has done an outstanding job with this program," Fields said.
"His teams were not only competitive, but were annually the best
academic squads in our department. But in altering some of the
internal administrative duties, it became clear that his energy is best-used on the administrative
side."
Davies said that turning the program over to Basye, a highly-decorated prep and collegiate
golfer who has served as his assistant for three years, makes the decision and transition easier.
"I’ve enjoyed coaching, I’ve enjoyed the players and the competition and I will surely miss that
part of it, but Brittany is more than ready to take this challenge. This team has a chance to be a
good one, and I’m looking forward to watching Brittany and the team as the year unfolds. I’ll
still be involved with the program from behind the scenes."
Basye, a standout athlete at Billings Central, was the Montana State Amateur Champion in
1993, and earned Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year honors for New Mexico in
1994. She was a two-time All-WAC player, led the Lobos to the 1993 conference title, and
graduated from UNM in 1995. Basye was ranked 17th in the nation as a senior at New
Mexico, and qualified for the 1995 Women’s U.S. Open. She was an LPGA Tour Qualifying
School finalist in 1997, and has worked as an assistant pro at the Stonecreek Golf Club in
Phoenix and the University of New Mexico course in Albuquerque.
"Brittany has done great work as the assistant coach for this program," Davies said. "The
respect she has earned as a player and the continuity she will provide in coaching and recruiting
will be a strong asset for the program."
Basye is ecstatic about the opportunity to lead the MSU program. "I’m very excited, and I
think I’m up to the challenge," she said. "I know the club professionals in this area, and I’m
excited about getting out in the community and the state and promoting our program and the
sport of golf. When people tell me that golfers from Montana can’t succeed at a high level, I
say they’re wrong. I’ve played in the biggest college tournament, and I’ve played in this
country’s biggest professional tournament, and I think those experiences have really preparedme for this. The great thing about playing golf at the university level is you’re pursuing your golfdreams and at the same time getting an education. I’m excited to be part of that processagain."
MSU’s new head coach also had praise for her coaching mentor. "Dan is awesome," she said."He’s been nothing but good for me, and I’m glad he’ll continue to be a part of this programand give me guidance. He’s really taught me how to be a coach, and helped me with thetransition from being a player to coaching. I’ve had a chance to monitor our players thissummer, and to see some of them play at the state amateur tournament, and I’m very excitedabout the kind of team we’re going to have.
"I can’t wait to get started."
Davies, who built a highly-successful and competitive Bobcatprogram from the ground up, will focus his energy on administrativeduties. Davies is Senior Associate Athletic Director at MontanaState, and has been an athletic administrator at the school for 14years.
"Dan has done an outstanding job with this program," Fields said.
"His teams were not only competitive, but were annually the best
academic squads in our department. But in altering some of the
internal administrative duties, it became clear that his energy is best-used on the administrative
side."
Davies said that turning the program over to Basye, a highly-decorated prep and collegiate
golfer who has served as his assistant for three years, makes the decision and transition easier.
"I’ve enjoyed coaching, I’ve enjoyed the players and the competition and I will surely miss that
part of it, but Brittany is more than ready to take this challenge. This team has a chance to be a
good one, and I’m looking forward to watching Brittany and the team as the year unfolds. I’ll
still be involved with the program from behind the scenes."
Basye, a standout athlete at Billings Central, was the Montana State Amateur Champion in
1993, and earned Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year honors for New Mexico in
1994. She was a two-time All-WAC player, led the Lobos to the 1993 conference title, and
graduated from UNM in 1995. Basye was ranked 17th in the nation as a senior at New
Mexico, and qualified for the 1995 Women’s U.S. Open. She was an LPGA Tour Qualifying
School finalist in 1997, and has worked as an assistant pro at the Stonecreek Golf Club in
Phoenix and the University of New Mexico course in Albuquerque.
"Brittany has done great work as the assistant coach for this program," Davies said. "The
respect she has earned as a player and the continuity she will provide in coaching and recruiting
will be a strong asset for the program."
Basye is ecstatic about the opportunity to lead the MSU program. "I’m very excited, and I
think I’m up to the challenge," she said. "I know the club professionals in this area, and I’m
excited about getting out in the community and the state and promoting our program and the
sport of golf. When people tell me that golfers from Montana can’t succeed at a high level, I
say they’re wrong. I’ve played in the biggest college tournament, and I’ve played in this
country’s biggest professional tournament, and I think those experiences have really preparedme for this. The great thing about playing golf at the university level is you’re pursuing your golfdreams and at the same time getting an education. I’m excited to be part of that processagain."
MSU’s new head coach also had praise for her coaching mentor. "Dan is awesome," she said."He’s been nothing but good for me, and I’m glad he’ll continue to be a part of this programand give me guidance. He’s really taught me how to be a coach, and helped me with thetransition from being a player to coaching. I’ve had a chance to monitor our players thissummer, and to see some of them play at the state amateur tournament, and I’m very excitedabout the kind of team we’re going to have.
"I can’t wait to get started."
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