USI Head Coach Ryan Chandler took the helm of the men's golf program in September 2023. He is the 11th head coach in program history.
In year two, Chandler guided the team to a pair of top-five team finishes at the Kentucky Wesleyan Bill Crabtree Invitational and the Tennessee State Big Blue Intercollegiate in 2024-25...the Eagles also beat the University of Evansville in match-play competition for the second time during the spring...USI bested its top team average for the second consecutive year...saw a new 36-hole score, individual season average, and individual career average records set...coached a pair of All-OVC and OVC All-Tournament golfers in Jason Bannister and Sam Vertanen.
2023-24 was a special year for the Eagles. Chandler helped the Eagles set new marks in six of the nine school records including the best individual 18-hole score, 54-hole score, individual season average, team 18-hole score, team 54-hole score, and top team average. Chandler and the Eagles won The Buddy at Murray State University, placed third at the Bobby Nichols Intercollegiate hosted by Tennessee Tech University, and also beat the University of Evansville in a match-play competition...coached an All-OVC member and OVC medalist in Jason Bannister.
Chandler joins USI after a five-year stint with Union University as head coach of both the men's and women's golf team. During his time with the Bulldogs golf program, he coached Union's first ever All-GSC players, one for each team in his first year. He helped the men's team rise to a school record of No. 37 in the NCAA Division II national ranking during the 2022-23 season. Chandler also coached a third team All-American, who finished 16th in the NCAA DII Regional tournament.
A 2011 Union graduate with a bachelor's degree in psychology, Chandler helped the Bulldogs to a pair of TranSouth Conference titles (2010, 2011), and NAIA National Tournament appearances as a player (2010, 2011). Individually, Chandler was the first-place medalist at the 2010 Jackson National Shootout.
Chandler, a native of Kenton, Tennessee, spent time as a professional golfer, where he's posted numerous top-10 finishes on the West Florida Golf Tour and the Florida Professional Golf Tour. He spent time as a head golf professional at Spring Lake Golf Resort in Sebring, Florida. He also spent time working as a college scout for the National Scouting Report for four years.
