TEMPE, Ariz. – Sun Devil Women's Golf Assistant Coach Michelle Estill has been promoted to Associate Head Coach, Missy Farr-Kaye announced Thursday afternoon.
Estill is elevated to Associate Head Coach after spending four seasons as an Assistant Coach in Tempe, returning to her alma mater back in November 2016. She joined former teammate Missy Farr-Kaye's coaching staff for her second stint with Sun Devil Women's Golf, proving to be one of the elite talent evaluators and developers in the sport. Farr-Kaye and Estill's history runs deep, as they were teammates under legendary Head Coach Linda Vollstedt.
"I am thrilled to promote Coach Michelle Estill to Associate Head Women's Golf Coach at Arizona State," Coach Farr-Kaye exclaimed. "During her tenure at ASU, she has proven to be invaluable to our team. I look forward to what we will be able to accomplish together in the coming years."
The former Sun Devil teammates have already accomplished plenty during their brief time together at Arizona State and have the program poised for even more success in the near future. Estill knows what it takes to lead a team to a title at the highest level. She was a key part of the team's run to the 2017 NCAA National Championship, the program's nation-leading eighth all-time.
ASU has maintained the standard of excellence that the program has become recognized nationally for. Estill has been an integral reason why the Maroon & Gold have 11 Team Championships with 10 Sun Devils capturing Individual Titles during her four-year tenure. Estill has played a key role in mentoring and developing seven All-Americans, two Pac-12 Individual Medalist, and an Individual NCAA Champion since taking over as an assistant coach prior to the 2015-16 season.
The Sun Devil coaching staff has managed to consistently bring in some of the top talent all over the World. The 2019-20 team features featured six players for five different countries, each of which are highly-ranked amateurs. Estill and Farr-Kaye stayed local for their two signees for the 2020 class, with Xavier Prep standouts Ashley Menne and Breyanna Matthews set to join the program in the Fall.
Estill enjoyed a successful professional career after a brief stint as an Assistant Coach at ASU. She made headlines with a spectacular debut season on Tour, leading to her being named the 1991 LPGA Rolex Rookie of the Year. She posted four top-20 finishes the following year. She's made many contributions to the association and to the game, as a playing member from 1991-2006, as well as serving on the LPGA Board of Directors and Executive Committee (1996-98) and as President (1998).
Prior to her time on the LPGA Tour, Estill starred at ASU from 1986-89, helping elevate the program nationally playing under Linda Volsltedt. Estill was the runner-up at the 1986 NCAA Championships, with the Sun Devils finishing fourth as a team. ASU finished in the Top-10 three of the four years that Estill competed. In addition to her outstanding play on the course, she was an Academic All-American. She graduated with a Bachelor's of Science in Business Management in 1989.
With Estill on the coaching staff, golfers are always prepared for life after college, both on and off the course. Thanks to her own professional experience, she is able to assist her players through the process of turning pro. She had a major impact on the careers of Linnea Strom, Roberta Liti, and Sophia Zeeb, helping them understand what it takes to play at the next level.
Current Sun Devils Olivia Mehaffey, Linn Grant, Raquel Olmos, Alessandra Fanali, Alexandra Forsterling, and Amanda Linner have also benefited from the tutelage of Estill. Grant, Fanali, and Mehaffey were all named All-Americans this past season, as the program has had an All-American in each of the four seasons with Estill on staff. For Mehaffey, she made history by becoming the program's third four-time All-American. The team was once again in position to compete for another National Championship, finishing at No. 3 in the final Golfstat rankings. With the news of senior Olivia Mehaffey returning of another year, Estill and Head Coach Missy Farr-Kaye have the team poised to make another run to the title.
Over 30 years of experience on and off the course in playing, coaching, sales, fundraising, and mentoring gives Estill a unique perspective on the game that she brings to the Sun Devil Women's Golf team.
HOW TO FOLLOW
For the latest updates and information on the Sun Devil Women's Golf program, follow our Twitter/Instagram accounts (@SunDevilWGolf), like our Facebook page (facebook.com/sundevilwgolf/), and visit our website (thesundevils.com).
Estill is elevated to Associate Head Coach after spending four seasons as an Assistant Coach in Tempe, returning to her alma mater back in November 2016. She joined former teammate Missy Farr-Kaye's coaching staff for her second stint with Sun Devil Women's Golf, proving to be one of the elite talent evaluators and developers in the sport. Farr-Kaye and Estill's history runs deep, as they were teammates under legendary Head Coach Linda Vollstedt.
"I am thrilled to promote Coach Michelle Estill to Associate Head Women's Golf Coach at Arizona State," Coach Farr-Kaye exclaimed. "During her tenure at ASU, she has proven to be invaluable to our team. I look forward to what we will be able to accomplish together in the coming years."
The former Sun Devil teammates have already accomplished plenty during their brief time together at Arizona State and have the program poised for even more success in the near future. Estill knows what it takes to lead a team to a title at the highest level. She was a key part of the team's run to the 2017 NCAA National Championship, the program's nation-leading eighth all-time.
ASU has maintained the standard of excellence that the program has become recognized nationally for. Estill has been an integral reason why the Maroon & Gold have 11 Team Championships with 10 Sun Devils capturing Individual Titles during her four-year tenure. Estill has played a key role in mentoring and developing seven All-Americans, two Pac-12 Individual Medalist, and an Individual NCAA Champion since taking over as an assistant coach prior to the 2015-16 season.
The Sun Devil coaching staff has managed to consistently bring in some of the top talent all over the World. The 2019-20 team features featured six players for five different countries, each of which are highly-ranked amateurs. Estill and Farr-Kaye stayed local for their two signees for the 2020 class, with Xavier Prep standouts Ashley Menne and Breyanna Matthews set to join the program in the Fall.
Estill enjoyed a successful professional career after a brief stint as an Assistant Coach at ASU. She made headlines with a spectacular debut season on Tour, leading to her being named the 1991 LPGA Rolex Rookie of the Year. She posted four top-20 finishes the following year. She's made many contributions to the association and to the game, as a playing member from 1991-2006, as well as serving on the LPGA Board of Directors and Executive Committee (1996-98) and as President (1998).
Prior to her time on the LPGA Tour, Estill starred at ASU from 1986-89, helping elevate the program nationally playing under Linda Volsltedt. Estill was the runner-up at the 1986 NCAA Championships, with the Sun Devils finishing fourth as a team. ASU finished in the Top-10 three of the four years that Estill competed. In addition to her outstanding play on the course, she was an Academic All-American. She graduated with a Bachelor's of Science in Business Management in 1989.
With Estill on the coaching staff, golfers are always prepared for life after college, both on and off the course. Thanks to her own professional experience, she is able to assist her players through the process of turning pro. She had a major impact on the careers of Linnea Strom, Roberta Liti, and Sophia Zeeb, helping them understand what it takes to play at the next level.
Current Sun Devils Olivia Mehaffey, Linn Grant, Raquel Olmos, Alessandra Fanali, Alexandra Forsterling, and Amanda Linner have also benefited from the tutelage of Estill. Grant, Fanali, and Mehaffey were all named All-Americans this past season, as the program has had an All-American in each of the four seasons with Estill on staff. For Mehaffey, she made history by becoming the program's third four-time All-American. The team was once again in position to compete for another National Championship, finishing at No. 3 in the final Golfstat rankings. With the news of senior Olivia Mehaffey returning of another year, Estill and Head Coach Missy Farr-Kaye have the team poised to make another run to the title.
Over 30 years of experience on and off the course in playing, coaching, sales, fundraising, and mentoring gives Estill a unique perspective on the game that she brings to the Sun Devil Women's Golf team.
HOW TO FOLLOW
For the latest updates and information on the Sun Devil Women's Golf program, follow our Twitter/Instagram accounts (@SunDevilWGolf), like our Facebook page (facebook.com/sundevilwgolf/), and visit our website (thesundevils.com).