Pate Flesher guided the women's golf team to its best-ever season in 2013-14 and was named the Big South Coach of the Year.
The HPU women's golf team posted nine top-five finishes and claimed four tournament titles in the 2013-14 season. The Panthers recorded their best-ever finish at the Big South Tournament, finishing third in the three-day event. High Point set a new single-season program record with a 305.14 stroke average and cracked the top-100 in the national team rankings for the first time, finishing the season ranked 97th in the country.
Freshman Sarah Bae was named the Big South Freshman of the Year and a member of the All-Conference team in her first year with the program. Bae set a new HPU single-season record with a 74.57 stroke average and claimed two individual medals in her first collegiate season. Two other HPU golfers, Grier Bennett and Casey Ward, also finished with stroke averages below the previous single-season record. Freshman Danille Fuss led the Panthers at the Big South Championship, finishing ninth in the event with a score of 227.
Pate Flesher has overseen a fantastic turnaround in her four seasons with the HPU women's golf program. Her teams have posted the two lowest season scoring averages in program history in 2012-13 and 2013-14 and under her coaching High Point's scoring average has dropped from from 327.62 to 305.14.
Pate Flesher previously led Methodist University (Fayetteville, N.C.) to seven consecutive NCAA Div. III national championships.
During her seven seasons at Methodist, Pate Flesher's squads competed against Div. I schools and recruited Div. I-level athletes. Pate Flesher's golfers earned All-America status 23 times and won five individual NCAA titles. Two Monarchs were named Div. III Player of the Year and three were named Freshman of the Year. Twice during her tenure, all five Methodist golfers earned All-America honors. As a team, Methodist set the NCAA Championship record for total score three times.
Pate Flesher was named NCAA Div. III National Coach of the Year in both 2005 and 2006. In her best season at Methodist, Pate Flesher's team was ranked 64th across all divisions. The team won two Div. I tournaments and took second at another.
At Methodist, Pate Flesher was also assistant director of the Professional Golf Management program. In that role, she taught classes on golf management and teaching methods. She was also a regular instructor with the Monarchs' top-ranked men's golf program and was an instructor for MU's junior and advanced camps.
Prior to her time at Methodist, Pate Flesher worked as an instructor at several golf academies, including the Academy of Golf at PGA National Resort and Spa, which is rated as one of the top-25 golf schools in the United States by Golf Digest.
Pate Flesher is one of 300 instructors certified by the PGA. She has served as a National Golf Coaches Association board member and as a member of the Div. III Awards Committee.
Pate Flesher graduated from Illinois State University with a degree in Communications in 1990. She was a three-year co-captain on the Illinois State golf team and a first-team All-Conference honoree. Pate earned a master's degree in Sports Science with a degree in Sports Studies from the United State Sports Academy in 2007. Her husband, Greg Flesher, was named HPU men's golf coach in 2012.
Craig Keilitz, HPU Athletic Director:"We are very excited that someone with the stature of Vici Pate Flesher will be joining High Point University Athletics. Her record at Methodist University speaks for itself, and her reputation in the world of collegiate golf is exemplary. We strive to give our student-athletes the very best coaches and we achieved that in both instruction and recruiting with Vici Pate Flesher. We are confident that Vici will lead High Point University to new heights in women's golf."
Jan Mann, North Carolina head women's golf coach:"I have had the pleasure of knowing Vici Pate Flesher for many years and I want to express how pleased I am that she will be the new women's golf coach at High Point University. Vici has proven that she can build and maintain a strong golf program while always putting the student-athletes' welfare first. I am certain that she will do a tremendous job. Congratulations on a great hire."
Jason Rodenhaver, Maryland head women's golf coach:"I have known Vici for over 10 years and I have the utmost respect for her as a coach. She will be great for High Point University for sure. She won several national championships at Methodist and I think High Point made a great hire there.
Kevin Williams, East Carolina head women's golf coach:"I have the upmost respect for the coaching ability of Vici Pate Flesher. She is an excellent teacher, coach and even better person. Vici will be a tremendous ambassador for High Point University and its athletic department. Her ability to 'coach up' her players will play a vital role in the future success that I know High Point women's golf will experience under her leadership."
