Senior Maxwell Burns playing at 2025 NCAA DII Central/Midwest Regional in May
Courtesy | Hillsdale College Athletic Department

As the Hillsdale College golf team prepares this week for its season opener Sept. 8, it welcomes new head coach Luke Kelly.

Kelly, who replaced former head coach Matt Thompson, played golf at the University of Findlay for four years. After graduation, he moved to Phoenix, Arizona, where he played professional golf for four years, including on the Professional Golfers’ Association Tour Americas for the 2022 and 2023 seasons.

Kelly said he looks forward to working with the team.

“From what I’ve seen, attitude wise, I think they gel really nicely as a team,” Kelly said. “It looks like they all get along with each other really well, which is a big first step. You want them to get along with each other and care for each other and work hard for each other.”

Senior Max Burns said he is looking forward to building on the momentum from last season which saw the Chargers advance to the Division II regional tournament.

“I’m looking forward to seeing how we do this year,” Burns said. “I think everybody is motivated and thinks we can achieve more this year, so it’s a little more of a competitive vibe this year.”f

Burns said he had a positive impression of Kelly as the new head coach.

“He seems like a really great guy,” Burns said. “He seems to be all about business. With the coaching change, it’s just a different feeling this year. It’s a feeling where we’re all expecting more of ourselves than we have in the past.”

Burns said he is also excited for the return of junior Oliver Marshall who missed both semesters last year due to injuries.

“He’s been our best player when he’s played,” Burns said. “He’s still healing, but he seems to be progressing pretty quick. We’ll have a pretty good five-man roster this year.”

Team tryouts run from Sept. 1- 5 at Jackson Country Club and Coldwater Golf Club. The top four players in the tryout automatically gain a spot on the team, with a fifth slot decided by the head coach.

Junior Ryan O’Rourke said he was motivated going into the team’s opening tryouts. 

“It seems so far that everyone is super excited to get things going,” O’Rourke said. “We’re all motivated to practice hard and to try and make the lineup for this upcoming event. I think it will be very competitive and whoever makes the lineup will make a good run at our first tournament.”

Kelly said he is grateful for the chance to be the new head coach.

“I’m just excited to have that opportunity here in front of me, and I can’t wait to get to work and see what this year brings us and see what improvements we can make throughout the year,” Kelly said.

The team begins the season Sept. 8 against Malone University at the Glenmoor Country Club in Canton, Ohio.