The University of Akron Athletics
Men's Golf
- Title:
- Head Coach
- Email:
- trainor@uakron.edu
- Phone:
- (330) 972-6290
Head coach David Trainor continues to build the Zips towards success as he enters his eighth season as the leader of the Akron men's golf program.
In his seven seasons at the helm of the program, Trainor has guided Akron student-athletes to an Individual MAC Championship, three NCAA Regional appearances, three PING All-Region team awards, five First-Team All-MAC, 12Â Academic All-MAC and six Cleveland Golf/Srixon All-America Scholar honors.
While leading the Zips, Trainor has helped the program reach new heights. In 2017-18, the Zips posted six Top 10 finishes in 11 events. Elliott Grayson and George Baylis led the squad's scoring efforts, averaging 72.94 and 73.70 strokes per round, respectively. Grayson led Akron in six tournaments with six Top 25 finishes, including runner-up at the Zips' Firestone Invitational. Baylis also had six Top 25 showings, highlighted by a third place finish at the Mountaineer Intercollegiate and fifth at the MAC Championships.
In league honors, the Zips' captured All-MAC (Elliott Grayson, second team) and MAC All-Tournament Team Honors (George Baylis) along with three Academic All-MAC achievers (Jacob Appleby, George Baylis, Mitchell McFarland) and one MAC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete (Mitchell McFarland). For the seventh straight year, coach Trainor placed at least one player on the Srixon/Cleveland Golf All-America Scholars list. In 2018 Baylis and Jacob Appleby earned the honors, marking the 9th and 10th players added to the list under Trainor.
In 2016-17, the Zips finished in the Top 10 in eight of 12 events, including three third place finishes, a fifth place showing, and a sixth place performance in the MAC Championships.
The Zips placed three players on the Academic All-MAC squad (Jacob Appleby, George Baylis, and Zach Gollwitzer), while Gollwitzer was also named MAC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete. In addition, Gollwitzer and Baylis were named Srixon/Cleveland Golf All-America Scholars.
In 2015-16, Akron crowned its first-ever Individual MAC Champion as sophomore George Baylis claimed the title with a 1-under par 283 performance over four rounds at the Highland Meadows Golf Club. Baylis became the third Zip to compete in an NCAA Regional.
The Zips posted eight Top 10 finishes in 11 events, including a second place showing at The Firestone Invitational. Akron garnered a First Team All-MAC selection, three Academic All-MAC honorees, and two Cleveland Golf/Srixon All-America Scholar awards. In addition to earning MAC medalist honors, Baylis was named First Team All-MAC and Academic All-MAC, while seniors Ryan Harris and Louis Birchall both earned Academic All-MAC and Cleveland Golf/Srixon All-America Scholar awards. UA was named a Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) All-Academic Team for the fifth-straight year under Trainor, posting a 3.396 overall GPA.
During the 2014-15 campaign, the Zips saw a program-best tying three student-athletes earn Academic All-MAC honors, with Ryan Harris and Louis Birchall earning Cleveland Golf/Srixon All-America Scholar honors. UA was named a GCAA All-Academic Team for the fourth-straight year under Trainor, posting a 3.486 overall GPA, the highest in his tenure.
On the course, the Zips posted four top-10 finishes, including a season-best fifth-place finish at the Firestone Inv.
In 2013-14, the Zips placed inside the top-10 in six of 11 events, including a win in the season-opening Golfweek Program Challenge.
Akron wrapped up the season with back-to-back top-three finishes, including a second-place showing at the 2014 Mid-American Conference Championship. The finish tied for the best showing at the MAC Championship (2007) and was the third-lowest team score for the Zips at the league championship event since joining the MAC (1992).
Senior Charlie Bull and sophomore Ryan Harris became the first pair of Zips to finish inside the top-five and second duo in program history to earn First-Team All-MAC honors in the same postseason.
In July, the squad earned its sixth-consecutive Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) All-Academic Team designation, the third under Trainor. In his three seasons at the helm of the program, Trainor has helped Akron student-athletes earn three PING All-Region team, four First-Team All-MAC, three Academic All-MAC and two Cleveland Golf/Srixon All-America Scholar honors.
In each of his first two campaigns, Trainor guided Bull to two NCAA Regional appearances and two PING All-Region selections. Bull was the first player to achieve both benchmarks since the Zips moved to Division I competition in 1980. Bull finished in the top-25 in both regional events, in addition to winning his first collegiate tournament during the 2012-13 campaign.
Bull earned his third-straight PING All-Region team selection as a senior, finishing his career as the career scoring leader (73.36), as well as owning the most rounds under par (47). He finished his four years playing the second-most rounds by a Zip (137) and is tied for the second-most events played by an Akron golfer (47).
Trainor's second season as head coach saw the Zips place inside the top-10 in seven of 11 events, including a fourth-place finish at the Mid-American Conference Championships. UA had 16 individual top-25 finishes, led by Bull's one win and 10 top-25 efforts. Akron earned its fifth-straight Golf Coaches Association of the America (GCAA) All-Academic Team honor. Senior Cameron Simmons earned Academic All-MAC honors while Bull earned his second-consecutive First-Team All-MAC designation.
As a team, the Zips finished the 2011-12 slate in the top-10 in 10 of 12 events after posting an overall scoring average of 75.48. The Zips were the only MAC squad named an All-Academic Team by the GCAA and saw Scott Landreth and Simmons selected as 2012 Cleveland Golf/Srixon All-America Scholars, also by the GCAA.
Trainor was named the 19th head coach of the Zips men's golf program on June 13, 2011.
Trainor, spent the previous seven seasons on the University of Kentucky staff, including two as the associate head coach and five as an assistant coach.
In his seven seasons at UK, Trainor helped the Wildcats to two top-10 finishes at the NCAA Championship (seventh – 2005; fifth – 2006), the 2005 Southeastern Conference Championship and nine overall tournament titles. Additionally, he helped student-athletes earn three All-American honors and three Cleveland Golf/Srixon All-America Scholars, as well as five All-SEC and 20 Academic All-SEC honors.
Trainor, a native of Berwyn, Pa., was a four-year varsity letterwinner at the College of Charleston, where he graduated in 2000 with a degree in business administration. While at Charleston, Trainor received the Coaches Award in 1997 for his leadership and dedication to the men's golf team. He was also a three-time Club Champion at Aronimink Golf Club, which is ranked in the Top-100 courses by Golf Digest.
What They Are Saying About David Trainor:
Brian Craig, Head Men's Golf Coach, University of Kentucky:
"I've known David for many years and I think he is a great person. I know he will be a great head coach. He has always and will always have the student-athletes best interests at heart. He has the skills, the passion and the leadership to help The University of Akron do great things. The Akron men's golf program is getting a fantastic coach and a fantastic person."
Nick Clinard, Head Men's Golf Coach, Auburn University:
"David is a good family man and has the right morals and values to be successful. He is a tireless worker and is dedicated to the sport of golf. I know he will be able to help Akron and its student-athletes be successful."
