Mike Small enters his 24th season leading the Illini menʼs golf program as its head coach, and his historic success was rewarded by the Board of Trustees at a Friday meeting which saw a couple of other points on the agenda.
This meeting was also historic, as it was the first time in about a decade that the sitting governor attended in person, as Gov. JB Pritzker watched the Board approve a six-year extension for Small, which will pay him $400,000 per year with built-in raises.
Under Small, the Illini menʼs golf program has risen to incredible heights, with 13 of the last 14 Big Ten titles residing in Champaign. Small has also seen the growth and development of a dozen Big Ten Player of the Year honorees, also mentoring a pair of individual national champions, Scott Langley in 2010 and Thomas Pieters in 2012.
The success has not only been in-conference, as the Illini have finished in the top five nationally in eight out of the last 12 postseasons, with 2013 being the runner-up. The Illini have gone past the NCAA regionals 16 times with Small at the helm.
Five regional titles, four of which were consecutive from 2013-16 have paved the road for Smallʼs continued presence in Champaign. Additionally, the Illinois program owns the longest streak for being ranked at the top of the Golfweek/Bushnell Coachesʼ Top 25 Poll. All of these achievements are certainly worthy of his Big Ten record 13 Coach of the Year awards, and induction into the Golf Coaches Association of America Hall of Fame.
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Small’s extension keeps him in Champaign through 2028-29.
@arrosen76
