Mark Gaynor - Head Golf Coach
Mark Gaynor is entering his fifth season (the 2007-08 campaign) as head coach of the FMU men’s golf program.
In his previous four campaigns, Gaynor has compiled a 286-314-17, while helping lead the team in its transition from NCAA Division II affiliation to Division I membership. The move should be complete prior to the 2007 fall season.
In his first season at Francis Marion, the Patriots were 108-55-6 and captured the 2004 Peach Belt Conference title. He took the Patriots to the Division II regional tournament in each of his first two seasons, prior to the move to Division I.
In its first year as a transitional member of Division I, FMU was a 67-63-5 and placed third at the 2006 Division I Independent Golf Championships. This past year, the Patriots dipped to 48-95-1 while playing a tough schedule of almost entirely Division I opponents. Gaynor has coached two academic All-Americans and one honorable-mention All-American in his time at FMU.
A native of Niles, Mich., Gaynor was the head coach at the University of Texas-Pan American, an NCAA Division I independent, for three years before accepting the FMU position. In 2002, he guided the Broncs to the National Minority College Golf Championship in Port St. Lucie, Fla. In the spring of 2003, his team placed fourth at the championships.
His 2002-03 Texas-Pan American squad recorded six top-10 team finishes in 11 tournaments. The Broncs placed 11th at FMU’s own Carolina First Intercollegiate Tournament, in September 2002 at the Country Club of South Carolina.
When Gaynor took over as the UTPA head coach in 2000, he became the Broncs’ first full-time men’s golf coach. He raised the program’s Golfweek - Saragin (national) Ranking more than 75 positions during his tenure.
Prior to taking the UTPA position, he served as an assistant men’s and women’s coach at Furman University for three seasons, under the direction of Hall of Fame coach Mic Potter and Todd Satterfield. He also served as an assistant athletic academic adviser at Furman, monitoring the academic progress of student-athletes while handling advising and counseling duties. He worked as a group instructor at the Mic Potter Golf Academy for four summers.
Gaynor played collegiate golf at Michigan State University, where he earned a B.S. degree in physical education and exercise science. He later received a M.Ed. degree in sports management from the University of Georgia.
A one-time member of the Powerbilt Golf Tour, Gaynor has earned numerous amateur playing honors. He captured the 2000 Palmetto Amateur championship in Aiken, and participated in the 2000 USGA Mid-Amateur in Hot Springs, Va.
Gaynor is a member of the Golf Coaches Association of America.
