HEAD COACH JAN DOWLING

Entering her 12th season as the head coach of the University of Michigan women's golf program, Jan Dowling has transformed her Wolverine program into not only one of the top Big Ten programs but a perennial contender and top women's collegiate golf program nationally.

Named the fifth women's golf coach in U-M history in the fall of 2013, Dowling's championship pedigree has helped the Maize and Blue reach four of U-M's five program trips to the NCAA Finals. In her 18 years on the fairways, she has had 14 NCAA invitations -- Kent State (2), Duke (1), Florida (3), Tennessee (1), and Michigan (7) -- with seven advancements to the NCAA Finals.

Throughout her 11 seasons with U-M, Dowling has made seven NCAA postseason invitations with six team regional appearances (2016, '17, '21, '22, '23, '24) and one invited individual (Ashley Lau, 2019). In each of U-M’s six team appearances, the Wolverines advanced to the NCAA Finals recording the program's best NCAA finish tying for 16th in 2017 while adding a tie for 18th in 2016 and back-to-back 20th place finishes in 2021 and 2022. Dowling's Wolverines have posted back-to-back national appearances twice with trips in 2016 (Eugene Country Club) and 2017 (Rich Harvest Farms) and then again in 2021 and 2022 at the Grayhawk Golf Club.

In addition to the NCAA successes, Dowling's Wolverines followed up a runner-up finish at the 2021 Big Ten Championships, capturing the first-ever Big Ten crown in 2022 paced by conference champion Monet Chun (205, -8). Chun, the 2021 Big Ten Freshman of the Year, claimed her second Big Ten individual title in 2024 (209, -7) becoming the 12th Big Ten golfer to win multiple times. Elodie Van Dievoet won the program's first-ever individual title in 2017 (210, -6).

The 2021-22 season continues to rank as one of the best in program history and Dowling's coaching career. The Wolverines captured three team titles with three runner-up finishes in nine overall events. Lau won three events, while the Wolverines combined for five individual titles during the season. After capturing the Big Ten crown, the Wolverines hosted the NCAA regional at the U-M Golf Course and advanced to a second straight NCAA Final -- the fourth under Dowling.

In 2022, Dowling was named the Big Ten's Coach of the Year, while Lau was named U-M's first-ever Big Ten Golfer of the Year and Mary Fossum Award recipient for lowest scoring average (71.84) -- a U-M record. Lau became the second Wolverine to earn All-American accolades. Four Wolverines were honored as All-Big Ten with Lau and Hailey Borja earning first team, while Chun and Mikaela Schulz were on the second team.

Dowling's Wolverines have won six tournaments and have had 13 medalists. Eight Wolverines have garnered 16 All-Big Ten accolades under Dowling as Borja became the first Big Ten golfer to earn five conference honors as she was a four-time second-team honoree (2020, '21, '23, '24) before getting first-team honors in 2022. Lau (2021, '22) and Chun (2021, '24) are the only Wolverines in history to earn two first-team awards. Additional All-Big Ten golfers under Dowling include Grace Choi (2016, first), Ashley Kim (2020, first), Catherine Peters (2016, second), Schulz (2022, second), and Van Dievoet (2017, first).

In the classroom, Dowling has had 19 Wolverines garner WGCA All-America Scholars including four-time honorees Megan Kim (2015, '16, '17, '18) and Schulz (2020, '21, '22, '23). Choi (2015, '16, '17) and Anika Dy (2021, '22, '23) were awarded three while Kathy Lim (2017, '18) had two. Alisa SnyderHannah Ghelfi (2021), and Chun (2021) round out U-M's scholar list. The Wolverines have 12 Big Ten Distinguished Scholars and 64 Academic All-Big Ten citations. The Maize and Blue earned the Division I Academic Progress Rate (APR) Public Recognition Award for nine straight seasons and a perfect Division I Graduation Success Rate (GSR) score in all 11 of her seasons.

Before coming to Ann Arbor, Dowling was an assistant coach under Judi Pavon at Tennessee following a three-year stint as the head coach at the University of Florida. In that lone season with the Lady Volunteers, they posted two top-five finishes, including a runner-up finish at the Mercedes-Benz Collegiate. In her three years in Gainesville, Dowling led the Gators to three straight regional appearances and back-to-back NCAA Finals, tying for 10th in 2011 and posting a 12th-place finish in 2012. Before joining the Gators, Dowling was an assistant at Duke under Dan Brooks. Together they helped the Blue Devils to sixth place at the 2009 NCAA Finals.

Making a career shift to coaching following a three-year stint as a touring professional, Dowling returned to her alma mater, Kent State, as an assistant coach in 2006. Dowling helped the Golden Flashes to two straight Mid-American titles. In addition to her duties with the women's golf team, Dowling helped the men's program, and head coach Herb Page, guiding the Flashes to a sixth-place finish at the NCAA Finals -- their highest finish in school history.

As a professional, Dowling played on both the Futures Golf Tour and BMO Canadian Women's Tour, combining for six top-10 finishes and qualifying for the 2005 LPGA Tour Canadian Women's Open. She won the 2000 Canadian Amateur and was named the SCORE Golf Canadian Female Amateur of the Year. Dowling was a member of the Canadian Team for the 2002 World Golf Amateur Championships and a member of the Ontario Amateur Team in 1999.

As a collegiate student-athlete, Dowling was a member of the inaugural women's golf team at Kent State (1998-2002) and helped lead the Flashes to four straight MAC championships and three NCAA regional appearances. She had five career victories, including back-to-back MAC individual crowns in 1999 and 2000. She was a four-time All-MAC first-team selection, the 2000 MAC Player of the Year, and the 1999 MAC Freshman of the Year.

Off the course, Dowling was a three-time Academic All-MAC selection, a two-time member of the MAC Academic honor roll, and earned a spot on the NGCA Division I All-Scholar Athlete Team, and the ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District IV At-Large Team.

In 2002, she was voted "Woman of the Year" at Kent State and received the Janet Bachna Award as the KSU Female Athlete of the Year that same season. Dowling became the first Kent State women's golfer to be inducted into the Varsity "K" Athletics Hall of Fame in 2008.

In 2018, Dowling served as an assistant coach under Anne Walker (Stanford) with the International team at the Arnold Palmer Cup at Evian Resort Golf Club in southeastern France. In the first year as a combined men's and women's event, the International team fell 38.5-21.5. The following year, Dowling served as the head coach of the International team. Along with assistant Mark Immelman (Columbus State), they reclaimed the cup with a 33.5-26.5 victory at the Alotian Club in Roland, Arkansas.

Dowling is also an accomplished golf instructor who has recently acquired her amateur status from the USGA, allowing her to compete in local, state, and national events during the summer. Dowling pursued and received her Level One Trackman Certification.

Dowling has conducted numerous instructional clinics throughout the United States and Canada, and currently holds a Titleist Performance Institute Certification as a Golf Fitness Instructor (Level I) and is a former PGA of America Level II Apprentice (2006-11).

The Bradford, Ontario, native participated in the reality television golf series "Big Break III: Ladies Only" on the Golf Channel in the fall of 2005. She holds a bachelor's degree in leisure studies from Kent State (2002). Dowling and her husband, Thien Nguyen, reside together in Ann Arbor, with their son, Simon.