June 22, 2004
COLUMBIA, Mo. -
Mark Leroux, who led Austin Peay to three consecutive NCAA Regional Tournament appearances, has been named the head men's golf coach at the University of Missouri, athletic department officials announced today.
Leroux comes to Columbia after serving the past seven seasons as head men's golf coach - as well as the last six leading the women's program - at APSU. While in Clarksville, Leroux elevated the Governors back to conference and regional prominence. He led the Govs to an Ohio Valley Conference Championship and the school's first NCAA Regional appearance in 2001. The Govs repeated both feats the next two seasons, with Leroux earning back-to-back OVC Coach-of-the-Year honors in 2002 and 2003.
At the same time, he built the Lady Govs program from scratch, going from one of the nation's worst to one of the league's best. He assumed control of the women's program when it was reinstated for the 1998-99 season after a nine-year absence, and has led the women's program for each of the last six years. Leroux previously served as head golf professional at Citrus Community College in Azusa, Calif.
"Mark is a proven winner who has a great passion for golf and brings an infusion of energy to Mizzou," said Ed Stewart, associate athletics director for administration. "He is extremely energetic, and has a great vision of what the Missouri golf program can do. He is a quality person who really showed a commitment to this program."
The New York native received his bachelor's degree in physical education from SUNY-Cortland. Leroux also earned a master's degree from California State University-Fullerton in physical education (pedagogy) with an emphasis in sports psychology.
He became assistant PGA golf professional at Alta Vista Country Club in Placentia, Calif., from 1992-94. In 1994, he was named head golf coach at West Brunswick High School in Supply, N.C. His team won the golf championship during Leroux's one-year stay, and Leroux was named "Coach of the Year."
After returning to California, Leroux again served as assistant PGA golf pro at Alta Vista, and then head pro at Citrus Community College in February 1996.
He and his wife, Leslie, have two sons, Lake, age 5, and Ty, age 2.
"I am very excited about this opportunity, and will work very hard to be as successful at Missouri as we've been at Austin Peay," said Leroux, whose 2003 squad set several national benchmarks for performance, including a single-round score of 269 and a weekend total of 832 (32-under-par) at the Eastern Kentucky Colonial Classic. "At Austin Peay, we were at the bottom of the ladder in the conference, and we found a way to get things done. There seem to be a lot of parallels between our status in the OVC, and Missouri's in the Big 12. My family and I are looking forward to being part of an athletic department that Mike Alden and his staff have turned into an up-and-coming program."
Leroux replaces Tim Robyn, who announced his resignation on May 3 after a six-year stint at the helm of the Tiger program.
