TEMPE, Ariz.—Associate head coach Missy Farr-Kaye was named interim head coach of the seven-time NCAA Champion Arizona State women’s golf team, Vice President for University Athletics Ray Anderson announced today. Former head coach Melissa Luellen accepted the job of head women’s golf coach at Auburn University.
“Sun Devil Athletics is appreciative and grateful for the 13 years Coach Luellen spent in Tempe coaching our esteemed women’s golf program and we wish her nothing but success on her new journey at Auburn,” said Anderson. “Missy Farr-Kaye’s successful partnership with Melissa Luellen is well known in the golfing community and is held in high regard, therefore it was an obvious choice to appoint Missy as interim head coach.”
Farr-Kaye joined the women’s golf coaching staff as an assistant in 2002 when Luellen was hired, and was elevated to associate head coach in 2006. Under the partnership of Farr-Kaye and Luellen, the team won the program’s seventh NCAA Championship in 2009 and captured two Pac-10 Titles. The duo coached current LPGA star Azahara Munoz to an NCAA individual title as a Sun Devil and also had 14 athletes named to a total of 25 All-American honors.
“I am immensely grateful to Melissa for giving me my first coaching job here at ASU 13 years ago,” Farr-Kaye said. “We were able to achieve many great things together and I wish her all the best in her new job. I look forward to the amazing opportunity to continue to coach here at my beloved alma mater and to work with the talented student-athletes we have here at Arizona State University.”
Last month, golfer Monica Vaughn qualified individually for the NCAA Championships and was in the hunt for the program’s ninth individual National Champion and fifth NCAA Champion. Throughout the final round, it was Farr-Kaye by Vaughn’s side on the course, keeping the sophomore calm and helping guide her to a top-five finish and first-team All-American honors.
Before coaching for the Sun Devils, Farr-Kaye followed sister Heather to school at Arizona State and played golf under then head coach Linda Vollstedt. After many near misses, in 1990 Farr-Kaye helped Vollstedt bring home the first of six NCAA Championships under the Hall of Fame golf coach.
“Missy Farr-Kaye is one of the best golf coaches and teachers out there today,” said senior associate athletics director Don Bocchi. “She is a consummate Sun Devil through and through. Not only did she compete for Arizona State as a student-athlete and bring home an NCAA Championship, she helped bring home an NCAA championship as a coach. She understands and embodies the core values of what it means to be a Sun Devil: tradition, integrity, academic performance, and championship performance. Missy is a Sun Devil for life.”
The search process for the next head coach of the Sun Devil women’s golf team will commence immediately.