Nancy McDaniel
{{Short description|Women's golf coach (1966–2024)}}
{{use mdy dates|date=December 2024}}
{{Infobox college coach
| birth_date = {{birth date|1966|11|11}}
| birth_place = Portland, Oregon, U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|2024|10|23|1966|11|11}}
| death_place = Oakland, California
| alma_mater = University of Washington
| player_years1 = 1984–1988
| coach_years1 = 29
| coach_team1 = University of California Golden Bears
| tournament_record = 7
| championships = 1
| awards = Pac-12 Coach of the Year (2x), Women's Golf Coaches Association Hall of Fame (2016), Cal Athletics Hall of Fame (2024)
}}
Nancy Kessler McDaniel (November 11, 1966 – October 23, 2024) was the founding coach for the University of California's women's golf program. McDaniel coached the California Golden Bears women's golf team for 29 seasons, where they made 23 NCAA regional appearances. Under her tenure, the team would head to the NCAA Championships 10 times.
Biography
McDaniel was born in Portland, Oregon on November 11, 1966. She first began playing golf at age eight at Waverley Country Club.{{Cite magazine |date=2024-10-24 |title=Longtime Cal women's golf coach Nancy McDaniel has died |url=https://golfweek.usatoday.com/2024/10/24/california-golden-bears-womens-golf-coach-nancy-mcdaniel-died/ |access-date=2024-12-05 |magazine=Golfweek}}
= College golf =
McDaniel was recruited to play golf at the University of Washington by Mary Lou Mulflur.{{Cite web |date=2013-04-18 |title=Head Women's Golf Coach Mary Lou Mulflur |url=https://gohuskies.com/news/2013/4/18/208224571 |access-date=2025-05-29 |publisher=University of Washington Athletics}} In 1988, McDaniel served as team captain during her senior year at University of Washington, where she earned All-American and Pac-10 All-Decade Team honors.{{Cite news |last=Kroichick |first=Ron |date=2024-10-24 |title=Longtime Cal women's golf coach Nancy McDaniel dies at 57 |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/college/article/longtime-cal-women-s-golf-coach-nancy-mcdaniel-19419141.php |access-date=2024-12-05 |newspaper=San Francisco Chronicle}} McDaniel ranks in the top 10 for victories in University of Washington's women's golf program.{{Cite web |date=2024-10-25 |title=Former Husky Golfer Passes After Fight With Breast Cancer |url=https://gohuskies.com/news/2024/10/25/womens-golf-former-husky-golfer-passes-after-fight-with-breast-cancer |access-date=2025-05-29 |publisher=University of Washington Athletics}}
= Professional golfer =
After college, McDaniel competed for five years as a professional on the Women's European, Ladies Asian and Players West golf tours in the early 1990s. In 1993, she finished 13th on the Ladies Asian Tour.{{Cite web |title=Nancy McDaniel Bio |url=https://calbears.com/news/2013/4/17/208199285.aspx |access-date=2025-05-29 |publisher=California Golden Bears Athletics}}
= Cal golf coach =
In 1995, McDaniel started the women's golf program at the University of California. Six years after starting the program, McDaniel's team made their first appearance in the NCAA National tournament.{{Cite news |last=Chapin |first=Dwight |date=May 21, 2002 |title=Cal coach has links to title site |url=https://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/WOMEN-S-NCAA-GOLF-CHAMPIONSHIPS-Cal-coach-has-2833971.php |newspaper=San Francisco Chronicle}} While coaching at Cal, she was named Pac-10 Coach of the Year twice, in 2001 and 2002. In 2002, the Golden Bears were ranked 2 nationally, their highest ranking. In 2003, she was named the LPGA Teaching and Club Professional Coach of the Year and also was named Golfweek
McDaniel was particularly recognized for her international player signings. In 1998, McDaniel signed her first international player, Anne Walker from Scotland. When asked later about her international signings, McDaniel shared, "One of the reasons we recruit these players is due to the great experience that is had on these teams".{{Cite web |date=2017-05-15 |title=How national golf federations give international players a leg up |url=https://www.espn.com/espnw/sports/article/19387916/how-national-golf-federations-give-international-players-leg-ncaa |access-date=2025-05-29 |work=ESPN |first=Anya |last=Alvarez}} Daniela Holmqvist, a player recruited by McDaniel from Sweden would go on to play in the LPGA Tour. Vikki Laing, recruited from Scotland, would help the Golden Bears win the 2003 NCAA Central Regional title and turned professional the following year. Sophia Sheridan, recruited from Mexico, would go on to play on the LPGA and Epson Tours and win the 2006 Mexican Women's Amateur Championship.{{Cite web |title=Sophia Sheridan – Women's Golf |url=https://calbears.com/sports/womens-golf/roster/sophia-sheridan/629 |access-date=2025-05-29 |publisher=California Golden Bears Athletics}}{{Cite news |last=Mickey |first=Lisa D. |date=2013-12-07 |title=Ochoa’s Legacy Casts a Shadow Over Mexican Aspirants to Her Throne |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/07/sports/golf/ochoas-legacy-casts-a-shadow-over-mexican-aspirants-to-her-throne.html |access-date=2025-05-29 |newspaper=The New York Times}} In 2022, Cristina Ochoa, one of McDaniel's international signings{{Cite web |title=Cal Women's Golf Signs Pair Of Top Prospects |url=https://calbears.com/news/2019/11/14/cal-womens-golf-signs-pair-of-top-prospects |access-date=2025-05-29 |publisher=California Golden Bears Athletics |date=November 14, 2019}} won the inaugural NCGA Women's Amateur Championship.{{Cite web |title=Cristina Ochoa wins inaugural NCGA Women's Amateur Championship |url=https://www.amateurgolf.com/golf-tournament-news/29147/Cristina-Ochoa-wins-inaugural-NCGA-Women-s-Amateur-Championship |access-date=2025-05-29 |website=AmateurGolf.com |date=19 August 2022}}
Several of McDaniel's recruits would go on to pursue careers as golf coaches. Sarah Huarte Glynn became the head women's golf coach at the University of San Francisco.{{Cite web |title=Sarah Glynn – Women's Golf Coach |url=https://usfdons.com/sports/womens-golf/roster/coaches/sarah-glynn/236 |access-date=2025-05-29 |publisher=University of San Francisco Athletics}} Sofie Andersson, a 2006 graduate would return to Cal as an assistant coach.{{Cite web |title=Sofie Aagaard – Women's Golf Coach |url=https://calbears.com/sports/womens-golf/roster/coaches/sofie-aagaard/575 |access-date=2025-05-29 |publisher=California Golden Bears Athletics}} Another of McDaniel's standout players, Anne Walker, would go on to coach the Stanford Women's golf team.{{Cite news |date=2024-05-24 |title=Notable third NCAA Division 1 Women’s Championship in US for Strathaven woman |url=https://www.scotsman.com/sport/golf/who-is-the-scot-tasting-us-college-success-as-a-top-coach-4641612 |access-date=2025-05-29 |newspaper=The Scotsman |first=Martin |last=Dempster}}{{Cite magazine |title=The greatest golf coach you've (probably) never heard of |url=https://www.bunkered.co.uk/golf-news/the-greatest-golf-coach-youve-probably-never-heard-of/ |access-date=2025-05-29 |magazine=bunkered |first=Michael |last=McEwan |date=3 April 2024}} Anna Temple, another McDaniel recruit, would go on to be named the head women's golf coach at University of Washington, replacing McDaniel's former coach Mary Lou Mulfur.{{Cite news |date=2025-05-22 |title=UW women's golf program names new coach |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/uw-huskies/washington-huskies-womens-golf-names-anna-temple-new-coach/ |access-date=2025-05-29 |newspaper=The Seattle Times |first=Scott |last=Hanson}}
= Breast cancer diagnosis and advocacy =
McDaniel was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015.{{Cite web |title=The Hardest Year Of Her Life |url=https://calbears.com/news/2018/5/6/inside-the-lair-the-hardest-year-of-her-life.aspx |access-date=2025-05-29 |publisher=California Golden Bears Athletics |date=May 6, 2018 |first=Jared |last=Prescott}} After her diagnosis, she became active in breast cancer advocacy, teaching clinics to benefit breast cancer research. In 2016, McDaniel underwent a double mastectomy where she learned her cancer had spread to her lymph nodes. After chemotherapy and radiation treatment, McDaniel went into remission two years after her initial diagnosis, but the cancer returned in 2023.{{Cite news |last=Kroichick |first=Ron |date=2023-10-18 |title='A total badass': Stanford campaign honors Cal golf coach fighting cancer |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/college/article/stanford-cal-nancy-mcdaniel-18423231.php |access-date=2024-12-05 |newspaper=San Francisco Chronicle}} She also lent her name to Stanford's PlayForHer initiative, responsible for raising nearly $450,000 for breast cancer research.{{Cite web |title=Nancy McDaniel Passes Away |url=https://calbears.com/news/2024/10/24/womens-golf-nancy-mcdaniel-passes-away.aspx |access-date=2024-12-05 |publisher=California Golden Bears Athletics}}{{Cite web |last=Nichols |first=Beth Ann |date=2023-11-21 |title=Healing Connection |url=https://www.troonmagazine.com/healingconnection/ |access-date=2025-05-29 |website=Golfweek |publisher=Troon Magazine}}{{Cite news |last=Kroichick |first=Ron |title='A total badass': Stanford campaign honors Cal golf coach fighting cancer |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/college/article/stanford-cal-nancy-mcdaniel-18423231.php |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20241208134233/https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/college/article/stanford-cal-nancy-mcdaniel-18423231.php |archive-date=2024-12-08 |access-date=2025-05-29 |newspaper=San Francisco Chronicle |date=October 18, 2023}} Funds raised from the initiative went to support breast cancer research undertaken by McDaniel's oncologist, Dr. Hope Rugo.
McDaniel retired from coaching duties at Cal in May 2024 to focus on her health. McDaniel died of complications of breast cancer on October 23, 2024, at age 57.
= Recognition and legacy =
McDaniel coached 17 All American players and 43 All-Pac 10/12 players during her time as a coach. The California Golden Bears would make 10 appearances at the NCAA Championships under her leadership.{{Cite magazine |date=2024-10-25 |title=Long-Time Cal Golf Coach Nancy McDaniel Dies |url=https://www.si.com/college/cal/other-sports/long-time-cal-golf-coach-nancy-mcdaniel-dies-01jb0g5hmrj0 |access-date=2024-12-05 |magazine=Sports Illustrated |first=Jake |last=Curtis}} In 2016, McDaniel was named to the Women's Golf Coaches Association Hall of Fame. In 2024, she was inducted in the Cal Athletics Hall of Fame and the National Golf Coaches Association Hall of Fame.{{Cite web |title=2024 NCGA Hall of Fame Ceremony |url=https://blog.ncga.org/2024-ncga-hall-of-fame-ceremony |access-date=2025-05-29 |publisher=Northern California Golf Association |date=October 17, 2024 |first=Jerry |last=Stewart}} Shortly before her death, McDaniel was inducted into the Northern California Golf Association's Hall of Fame.
References
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Category:American female golfers
Category:American female sports coaches
Category:American golf instructors
Category:College golf coaches in the United States
Category:Washington Huskies golf
Category:California Golden Bears women's golfers
Category:Washington Huskies women's golfers
Category:California Golden Bears coaches
Category:Sports coaches from California