John Carlson

John Carlson is the Director of Men's Golf for the University of Minnesota. In Carlson's third season, Minnesota won four tournaments, its first victories as a team since the 2006-07 season.

Carlson was named Big Ten Coach of the Year in 2014 after guiding the Gophers to their first Big Ten title since 2007. Minnesota would go on to make its first NCAA Regional appearance as a team since 2009 and finish the season with a 115-42-1 record.

The Gophers won by four strokes over Illinois in French Lick, Indiana, to claim the conference championship. Big Ten Freshman of the Year Jose Mendez tied for medalist honors to become Minnesota's first individual Big Ten champion since 2003. Jon Trasamar tied for third and joined Mendez on the All-Championships Team.

Mendez earned PING All-Region honors following his ninth-place tie at the NCAA Raleigh Regional. The Gophers placed ninth as a team. Mendez was later named to the Golf Coaches Association of America's All-Freshman Team.

In addition to the Big Ten Championships, Minnesota also won the Barnabas Health Intercollegiate, the Del Walker Classic and the Rutherford Intercollegiate. Mendez won three tournaments.

The Gophers finished second at the Big Ten Championships in 2013, their highest finish since 2009. Senior Erik Van Rooyen (tied for second) and freshman Jon DuToit (tied for eighth) made the All-Championships roster. Minnesota posted a 17-6-2 record against Big Ten opponents during the season.

Under Carlson's guidance, Van Rooyen qualified for three consecutive NCAA Regionals. Current pro Donald Constable also qualified as a senior in 2011. Both Van Rooyen and Constable earned PING All-Region honors.

The Gophers have also been successful in the classroom under Carlson's watch. Minnesota has been named a GCAA All-Academic Team in each year of Carlson's tenure, and earned Gopher Athletics' Norman Borlaug Commitment to Academic Excellence Award in 2014.

Carlson, a native of Bagley, Minn., came to Gold Country after a three-year stint as an assistant golf professional at Wayzata Country Club in Wayzata, Minn..

Prior to that, Carlson spent five years playing professional on the Nationwide and NGA Tours, winning 14 career titles. He also won back-to-back Tapemark Charity Pro-Am titles while at Wayzata CC.

A four-year letterwinner at the University of Wisconsin, Carlson won three collegiate events as a Badger and earned Academic All-Big Ten as a senior.

Carlson and his wife, Caese, have a daughter, Collins.