Virginia’s Groves, Cal State San Bernardino’s Nielsen Named 2026 Jan Strickland Award presented by TaylorMade Golf Company Recipients
NORMAN, Okla. -- Dustin Groves of Virginia (Division I) and Troy Nielsen of Cal State San Bernardino (Non-Division I) have been named the 2026 Jan Strickland Outstanding Assistant Coach Award presented by TaylorMade Golf Company recipients. The Strickland Award is presented annually to the NCAA Division I, II, III, NAIA, or NJCAA assistant coach that, among other things, has excelled in working with their student-athletes both on the course and in the classroom. Groves and Nielsen will be honored with their awards during the 2026 GCAA National Convention at Planet Hollywood Last Vegas December 8-10.
Dustin Groves, Virginia (Division I)
“I’m incredibly honored to receive the Division I Jan Strickland Award and grateful to the committee for this opportunity,” said Groves. “To be mentioned alongside past winners and this year’s finalists, who are all deserving, means a great deal.”
Groves was hired by 2004 Jan Strickland Award recipient Bowen Sargent as assistant coach at Virginia in August 2022 and promoted to Associate Head Coach at the conclusion of the 2024-25 season. Since Groves’ arrival, Virginia has experienced the most successful three-year stretch in program history (2023-2026). The Cavaliers are the only men’s Division I program to reach NCAA Championship Match Play each of the last three seasons. During this span, they captured the program’s first ACC Championship and finished as NCAA Championship Runner-Up in 2025. Virginia secured their second consecutive ACC Championship on April 27.
Ranked inside the top three in every Scoreboard Powered by Clippd ranking so far this season, the Cavaliers have compiled nine top-two finishes with six victories and will be the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Bermuda Run Regional May 18-20. They have been led by four players ranked inside the top 80 via Scoreboard Powered by Clippd, including third-ranked and the first three-time PING First Team All-American in program history Ben James.
“I’m happy for Dustin for winning the Jan Strickland Award, obviously very a well-deserved honor,” Sargent said. “For a couple of years, Dustin has garnered the attention of many of his peers as one of the best assistants in the business. His depth of knowledge as a former player and teacher has helped our program ascend to new heights, culminating in our first of two ACC Championships and an NCAA Runner-Up finish last year. He’s been invaluable to our program and we owe a lot of our success over the past four years to his constant dedication to Virginia golf. I’m certain the Jan Strickland Award will help him in the next step of being a head coach.”
Player development has been a key component in Groves’ impact on the Cavaliers, with significant improvements across the roster, including the No. 4-ranked recruiting class for the 2026 season. Non-traveling student-athletes have improved tournament strokes dramatically, including Liam Powderly lowering his average from 78.0 to 70.3 and Matthew Monastero improving from 77.5 to 72.0. Globally, multiple Virginia players have surged in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR®), highlighted by Paul Chang’s rise from No. 4060 to No. 20, Bryan Lee from No. 605 to No. 35, Josh Duangmanee from No. 2214 to No. 46, and Ben James from No. 22 to No. 2. The Cavaliers have also earned national recognition, producing five different PING All-Americans and James’ 2023 Phil Mickelson Outstanding Freshman Award presented by StrackaLine during Groves’ tenure.
Virginia’s excellence off the course has been extended to the classroom, earning GCAA All-Academic Team honors in all three seasons under Groves while maintaining a team GPA of 3.32 (2024-25) and 3.29 (2025-26). Five Cavaliers have received seven GCAA/Cobalt Golf All-America Scholar recognitions.
“This is truly a team award,” said Groves. “I want to thank our student-athletes at the University of Virginia for their hard work and constant drive to improve. The way they respond to challenges and overcome adversity has been inspiring to watch. I’m especially grateful to Bowen Sargent for the opportunity to coach such a special group of young men. His leadership and trust have meant a great deal to me.”
Beyond competition, Groves has remained committed to community engagement and player development off the course. He is an active participant with First Tee Virginia Blue Ridge, assisting with camps and fundraisers, and works with Special Olympics by helping organize and coach clinics. Additionally, he has served as the head director of UVA Golf Summer Camps from since 2023, overseeing multiple camps each year to help develop the next generation of golfers.
“My wife Aislinn and our kids, Lyal and Rory, are my rock. They are the most important part of my life, and without their love and support, none of this would be possible. The University of Virginia holds a very special place in my heart. My dad worked in admissions here for more than 30 years, and I grew up coming to games and being part of this community. Charlottesville and UVA are truly special, and it’s an honor to represent them. I also want to thank my parents for always pushing me to be better, and the UVA athletic department for being one of the best in the country and for supporting our men’s golf program. Go Hoos!”
Troy Nielsen, Cal State San Bernardino (Non-Division I)
“It is truly a special honor to be the Non-Division I Jan Strickland Award winner,” said Nielsen. “Receiving this award means the world to myself and my family. When you put so much effort and work into something you love to do, it really never seems like work, but for that to be noticed really makes it worth all the long days and hours away from my family.”
In Nielsen’s fifth year assisting Head Coach Kyle Emerson at CSUSB, the Coyotes have recorded 10 top-10 finishes and victories at the Hanny/Stanislaus Invitational April 14 and Coyote Classic March 24. Ranked 68th via Scoreboard Powered by Clippd on October 22 and 63rd on January 28, the Coyotes are now ranked 29th with top-three finishes in six of their seven spring tournaments. Junior and top-75-ranked Kamron Hopson has carded top-20 results in 10 of his last 11 tournaments with a seven-stroke victory at the Coyote Classic March 24.
The Coyotes have continued to elevate its success both on and off the course with Neilsen’s guidance. He teaches short game and putting to the team on a regular basis and is deeply involved in course strategy and game plan for their tournaments. CSUSB has qualified for NCAA Division II Regionals all five seasons, hosting the 2025 Division II West Regional and qualifying for the 2025 Division II National Championship. The 2026 NCAA West/South Central Regional begins today at The Reserve at Spanos Park and runs through Saturday.
“I could not be happier for Coach Troy in receiving the 2026 Non-Division I Jan Strickland Award,” Emerson said. “Nobody works harder than Troy Nielsen to help our guys improve and play the best golf that they’re capable of. This is a huge win for our program and our players. Troy means the world to me and to our players.”
Neilsen has played a major role in the development of student-athletes through his time with the Coyotes. John Kim earned 2025 NCAA Division II PING Third Team All-America honors and collected four individual tournament victories over a three-year span, while Chris Wardrup qualified individually for the 2024 NCAA Division II National Championship, with both being PING All-West Region honorees in 2025.
Academic success has been a defining feature of the program with Neilsen. CSUSB recorded the highest team GPA in school history in both 2024 and 2025, including a 3.69 team GPA during the 2024-25 academic year and a 3.25 in 2025-2026.
“Troy has made a massive difference in our performance since joining our staff five-plus years ago,” continued Emerson. “We were a struggling program with limited success. Today we are playing in our fifth NCAA Regional appearance in the last five years. His efforts in recruiting, fundraising, statistical analysis and preparation are unmatched. We would not be where we are today without Troy. Our players were beyond excited when they got the news of Troy’s award. He means everything to them and they were very proud of his achievement.”
Beyond competition, Neilson has remained deeply involved in supporting both the program and the surrounding golf community. He helped plan, coordinate, and facilitate the 2024-25 and 2025-26 Dave Stockton Fundraiser and was able to raise $40,000 for the team. Additionally, he teaches youth golf in the local community and helps raise money for junior golf and high school teams in the local area.
“I am lucky to have a head coach who has taught me everything I know and lets me learn everyday by being able to coach our team,” Nielsen said. “I have been very fortunate to be a part of a program where we have had great kids who have bought in to what we do and work really hard at their craft, so this award goes out to them too. I wouldn’t be receiving this award without the players who have come through here.”
“Being nominated with Coach Rosenbaum and Coach Custodio, who I know personally from coaching against in our conference, was just an honor in itself, but to be able to receive this award and share that with all the previous winners will be something I will cherish for the rest of my life. This award will make me want to work harder and continue to coach our guys with even more fire than I do every day. I can’t thank Coach Chris Williams and the GCAA enough for their hard work and effort throughout this whole process.”
TaylorMade Golf Company has sponsored the Jan Strickland Outstanding Assistant Coach Award since its inception in 2003.
Previous Recipients
2025 - Thomas Sutton, Arizona State
2025 - Scott Worley, UMSL
2024 - Chris Williams, Auburn
2024 - Isaiah Logue, Keiser
2023 - Dudley Hart, Florida
2022 - Matt Clark, North Carolina
2021 - Bill Allcorn, Oklahoma
2020 - Jean-Paul Hebert, Texas
2019 - Armen Kirakossian, Arizona State
2018 - Corey Maggard, Auburn
2017 - Ryan Blagg, Baylor
2016 - Andrew DiBitetto, North Carolina
2015 - John Handrigan, Florida
2014 - Chris Hill, Houston
2013 - Ryan Murphy, Texas
2012 - Jim Anderson, Texas A&M
2011 - Christian Newton, Georgia Tech
2010 - Michael Burcin, South Carolina
2009 - Brian Sharp, Virginia Tech
2008 - Walter Chun, California
2007 - Andy Bischel, UNLV
2006 - John Knauer, Arizona
2005 - Greg Robertson, Purdue
2004 - Bowen Sargent, Tennessee
2003 - Mike McGraw, Oklahoma State