July 9, 2007
Mark Hankins, a native of Mt. Pleasant, IA, who led Michigan State University to the 2007 Big Ten men’s golf championship and was named the league’s 2007 coach of the year, has been named head men’s golf coach at the University of Iowa.
The 2007 league title and coach-of-the-year award marked the second time in three years that Hankins’ Spartans squad won the Big Ten title and he was recognized by his peer’s as the league’s best. Hankins also guided Michigan State to five NCAA appearances in his seven years at MSU including a 23rd place finish in the 2007 NCAA Division I National Championship.
Hankins’ resume at Michigan State also includes 11 tournament titles, national rankings during three different seasons including the Fall 2004 season when his Spartan team was ranked seventh out of 290 Division I men’s golf programs, 27 first team academic all-Big Ten selections, two academic All-Americans, two All-Americans, one Big Ten Freshman of the Year, and the first Big Ten Conference medalist in Michigan State men’s golf history.
“Mark will be a great addition to our staff. He’s a proven winner of championships, he’s committed to his student-athletes, and he’s extremely excited to be a Hawkeye and back in Iowa….it’s great to have him on board,” said UI Director of Athletics Gary Barta.
“We have 24 sports and our goal is to compete for championships in each of them. Adding Mark to our head coaching ranks will be a very positive step for our men’s golf program, for our intercollegiate athletics program, and for the University of Iowa.”
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“I am extremely excited by the support and enthusiasm the administration, alumni, and other friends of the golf program have shown throughout the search process. Gary (Barta) is clearly making a commitment to winning championships in every sport at the UI and I am eager to turn that commitment into reality in the sport of men’s golf.”
Mark Hankins
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“It’s great to be coming home and an honor for me to be the head men’s golf coach at the University of Iowa,” said Hankins.
“I am extremely excited by the support and enthusiasm the administration, alumni, and other friends of the golf program have shown throughout the search process. Gary (Barta) is clearly making a commitment to winning championships in every sport at the UI and I am eager to turn that commitment into reality in the sport of men’s golf.”
Hankins’ coaching resume also includes a two-year stint as head coach at the University of Texas at Arlington and three total years as an assistant coach for men and women, and co-head coach of the men’s golf program at his alma mater, Iowa State University. His coaching experience also includes serving as head golf coach for the United States team that will participate in the 2007 World University Games in Bangkok, Thailand.
Hankins earned all-Big Eight Conference honors in 1993, his senior season at Iowa State. A three-time academic all-Big Eight selection, Hankins was also named an academic all-American as a senior. He earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology in 1993 and a master’s degree in business administration in 1997 from ISU.
Hankins said his expectations for the student-athletes who will compete for the UI under his direction will be success both on the golf course and in the classroom.
“It’s my responsibility to provide the platform for every member of our men’s golf program to succeed athletically and academically. I want them to have a first-class experience and to graduate with a sense of pride about themselves and our university,” he said.
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