Derek Tolan

Derek Tolan is serving as the program’s interim assistant head coach, as he was named to the position on January 22, 2020, returning to his alma mater where he earned a host of honors during his playing career that spanned four seasons (2006-09).

Tolan, 34, has been playing professionally the last 10 years since he last teed it up for the Buffs in the spring of 2009; he is filling a midseason vacancy created in December 2019 when CU’s assistant coach of the last five seasons, Pat Grady (a teammate of Tolan’s) decided to return to his private CPA business.

“It means everything in the world to me to be part of CU again, not just the golf program but the university and athletic department as a whole,” Tolan said. ‘I was recruited by Mark Simpson as a player and played for Roy Edwards for three years, so this is a unique opportunity to be able to continue the values of both of them, but also to be able to apply my knowledge as well. I’ve been in the ring for decades now and have successes and failures at all levels. It’s important for me to apply that knowledge to the players at CU, and feel so fortunate to have this opportunity.”

For his CU career (four-year letterman from 2006-09), Tolan finished third in the most rounds played (151), and was 13th in career stroke average (74.19). He tied for second in both the most top 10 finishes (18) and top 20 efforts (26) in school history (he was 11th with five top-five performances). He had 89.8 percent of his career rounds count toward team scoring and at the time became just the fifth CU player to have qualified to play in four NCAA Championships. As a senior, he posted a 71.9 stroke average, leading the team in recording the second-best in school history at the time. He was selected as the school’s Male Career Athletic Achievement Award winner for all sports, and the co-Male Athlete of the Year (with Grady). An honorable mention All-American by Golfweek and the GCAA, he also earned PING All-Central Region honors, All-Big 12 honors, and All-Big 12 Tournament Team accolades.