Michael Akers joined the Mean Green women’s golf program in May 2016 ahead of the 2016-17 season, and now has seen the program elevate itself more with each of Akers’ seasons.
Akers, the former head coach at Texas State, led the Bobcats to six NCAA Regional appearances and has now seen North Texas rise in the national rankings by more than 100 spots since his arrival.
Akers saw Lauren Cox earn second-team all-conference honors in 2018 when she and teammate Sabina Pena tied for fifth at the C-USA Championships to both earn all-tournament honors. Sol Lee was also a third-team all-conference selection in 2017.
Prior to joining North Texas, Akers coached 10 seasons at Texas State, and led the Bobcats to six NCAA Tournament appearances, including three-straight trips from 2012-14. He coached three conference championships (two Southland, one Sun Belt) and earned three at-large bids for the first time in Texas State history.
In 2015-16, Texas State took home its first Sun Belt Conference Tournament championship. Named the preseason favorites by Golfweek, the Bobcats overcame a one-stroke deficit after round one to pull away to a 19-stroke victory.
After joining the SBC in 2013, the Bobcats had back-to-back runner-up finishes at the SBC Tournament. Akers coached 10 All-Sun Belt selections and won 12 tournament titles in his 10-year head coaching career in San Marcos.
The 2012-13 season marked the fourth time that Akers led Texas State to the NCAA Tournament, previously accomplishing the feat in 2008, 2010 and 2012.
Off the course, Akers’ squad earned a perfect APR score of 1000. Krista Puisite contributed to the high academic standards, becoming the first Bobcat to earn the CoSIDA Academic All-American award.
In regards to overall rankings, the 2012-13 Bobcats finished the season ranked No. 26 nationally, with a 297.94 scoring average in 33 rounds.
In 2009-10, Akers and the Bobcats captured their second Southland Conference Championship in three years in record-setting fashion. The team overcame a 15-stroke deficit in the final round to win the title. Texas State also earned an automatic bid to the NCAA West Regionals and Akers was named 2009-10 Southland Conference Coach of the Year.
Akers joined Texas State in September 2006, and his successful tenure began right away. In May 2007, Texas State’s recruiting class was ranked among the nation’s top five by The Golf Channel.
Texas State finished the 2007-08 season with six top-five finishes and the five freshmen were ranked as the nation’s best class by Golfstat.com. Texas State capped off its successful season by winning the 2008 Southland Conference Championship and qualifying to play in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history.
In that season, the Bobcats jumped an astounding 100 spots in the national rankings in 12 months after climbing from 148th in Oct. 2006 to 48th in Oct. 2007. Those achievements earned Akers Southland Conference Coach of the Year honors in 2008.
Besides successfully coaching the Bobcats, Akers created one of the top intercollegiate tournaments in the nation, while in San Marcos. The first two tournaments were played at Wolfdancer Golf Club at the Hyatt Lost Pines resort before shifting to the Onion Creek Golf Club in 2009.
Akers arrived at Texas State after serving as an assistant coach for men’s and women’s golf at the University of Central Florida. Prior to his stint at UCF, Akers spent one season as a volunteer assistant for the women’s program at Middle Tennessee.
Akers was also the associate head coach at his alma mater, Fort Hays State in Kansas, for eight seasons. There he helped elevate the program to the top of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.
Akers also served as head PGA professional at the Smoky Hill Country Club in Hays where he was responsible for the club’s daily golf operations management. He is also the course-record holder at Smoky Hill, having fired a nine-under 62 on the par-71 course, and became a PGA Class A professional in 1996.
Additionally, Akers served as the assistant professional at Rio Pinar Country Club in Orlando, Florida, for two years, where he assisted with the day-to-day operations of the private club.
He is the founder and co-owner of Precision Valley Golf Center in Kansas, a full-service golf training site that includes indoor and outdoor hitting areas as well as a pro shop. In 2001, Akers produced and co-authored a golf instructional CD entitled “Build Your Dream Swing.” The interactive CD covers the seven components of the full swing.
Akers earned his bachelor’s degree in exercise science from FHSU, where he was a member of the Tiger men’s golf team. He recorded three tournament victories during his collegiate career in Hays. He and his wife, Tamara, have three sons, Drew, Eddie and Zack.
COACHING EXPERIENCE
2016-pres. North Texas Head Coach
2006-16 Texas State Head Coach
2005-06 UCF Assistant Coach
1995-02 Fort Hays State Associate Head Coach
HEAD COACHING RECORD
2016-pres. North Texas 15-42 (fall of 2016)
2006-16 Texas State 733-630-15
COACHING HONORS
12 All-Southland Conference Selections
12 Tournament Championships
10 All-Sun Belt Selections
3 All-WAC Selections
2 All-CUSA Selections
1 All-American
2008 Southland Conference Coach of the Year
2010 Southland Conference Coach of the Year
2016 Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year
TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS
2016 Sun Belt Conference Tournament
2013 Jim West Challenge
2012 Chris Banister Classic
2012 BYU at Entrada Classic
2012 Claud Jacobs Intercollegiate
2011 Johnie Imes Invitational
2011 Sir Pizza Cards Challenge
2011 Claud Jacobs Intercollegiate
2010 Southland Conference Tournament
2010 Claud Jacobs Intercollegiate
2009 Claud Jacobs Intercollegiate
2009 Koasati Pines Collegiate Golf Classic
2009 Edwin Watts Kiawah Island Classic
2008 Southland Conference Tournament
2007 Chip-N-Club Invitational