STATESBORO – Georgia Southern head women's golf coach Mimi Burke was named to the Division I Jackie Steinmann Women's Golf Coaches Association (WGCA) National Coach of the Year Presented by Golf Pride Watch List on Tuesday afternoon. Burke was one of 24 coaches named to the watch list. 

Burke is in her fourth season at the helm of the Georgia Southern women's golf team. This season, Burke has led the Eagles to its first NCAA National Championship appearance in program history. Additionally, she led the squad to six individual team titles and a second place finish at the Sun Belt Conference Championships this season. The Eagles ranked as high as #33 in the Clippd national rankings, which marks the highest in program history. 

Georgia Southern finished tied for second in just its second appearance in an NCAA Regional shooting 288-283-283=854 (-10) to finish tied with Kansas State. In her first season with the Eagles, she guided the squad to its first Sun Belt Championship title and NCAA Regionals berth in 2022. That same season she was named Sun Belt Coach of the Year. 

Georgia Southern begins play in the NCAA Championship Finals at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, Calif., on Friday as one of 30 teams who will play for the national championship in women's golf. The field will be cut to 15 after three rounds of stroke play, then to eight teams following the fourth round of stroke play. The quarterfinals and semifinals of match play will be played on Tuesday, with the match play finals played on Wednesday.