Susan Holt Position: Head Coach Alma Mater: Ohio State '88

Susan Holt was introduced as head coach of the University of Notre Dame women's golf program in August of 2006. Holt became the second full-time head coach in the history of the Fighting Irish program and the fourth overall since women's golf became a varsity sport in 1988-89. In her first season at the helm of the Fighting Irish, Holt witnessed her team post a school-record scoring average of 305.46 during the 2006-07 season.

Holt came to Notre Dame from the University of South Florida, where she spent 13 successful seasons guiding the Bulls. In her final season, USF joined the BIG EAST Conference where she led the Bulls to a tie for third, along with the Irish, in their inaugural BIG EAST tournament.

In her first BIG EAST Championship coaching the Irish, Holt steered Notre Dame to a runner-up finish. The Irish tied Louisville with a season-best 891 (+27) total during the 54-hole event. Notre Dame fell to the Cardinals by one stroke in the first hole of a sudden-death playoff. Notre Dame tied a program record by placing four student-athletes on the all-BIG EAST Team with the fine performance at the 2007 BIG EAST Championship.

The showing at the conference tournament was the culmination of hard work displayed by the golfers and coaching staff during the season. Notre Dame produced two runner-up finishes, including one at the Lady Irish Invitational. The other second-place finish occurred at Kansas' Marilynn Smith Sunflower Invitational. The results were even more impressive given the Irish squad featured three freshmen in the five-person scoring lineup during the entire spring semester.

Notre Dame also made history as senior co-captain Noriko Nakazaki became the first team member in program history to qualify for NCAA play as an individual entrant. Nakazaki carded a three-round score of 224 (+11) to place in a tie for 18th at the NCAA Central Regional in Ann Arbor, Mich.

Holt's presence at the helm of the Fighting Irish program has also produced big dividends on the recruiting trail. Notre Dame is bringing in the top recruiting class in program history for the 2007-08 season. Notre Dame's Class of 2011 is comprised of Katie Conway and So-Hyun Park, who are both ranked in the top 25 nationally.

"First and foremost, I was attracted by the opportunity to come to what I believe is the best academic and athletic combination that's out there," says Holt on why she decided to come to Notre Dame following a successful run at South Florida.

"The commitment to the golf program with the course and the new indoor facility makes a statement. As a coach you want to know that you have a chance to be successful and you can tell that's how it is at Notre Dame and it's impressive to see that."

A native of Dayton, Ohio, Holt made a return to the Midwest, where she began her college coaching career at Purdue University, with her hiring at Notre Dame. She was at the helm of the women's golf program at Purdue for four seasons from 1990-93 before taking the position at South Florida.

Holt directed the USF program to 16 team titles and 17 runner-up finishes, including five of 10 Conference USA Championships. She guided the team and/or individuals to 11 NCAA Regional appearances and trips to the NCAA Championship Finals in 2001 and 2002.

Holt's teams at South Florida won at least one tournament in 10 of her 13 seasons and she was recognized as the Conference USA Coach of the Year in 1996, 1999 and 2001. In the spring of 2005, Holt was named Conference USA Coach of the Decade for women's golf (1995-2005). Under Holt's watch, South Florida players were named to the Conference USA All-Conference Team 23 times. Current LPGA player and South Florida graduate Kelly Lagedrost was named Conference USA Player of the Year in 2001. Current South Florida golfer Christina Jones was named Conference USA Freshman of the Year in 2005.

Over the past 12 years Holt's teams have excelled academically as well. Eighteen times, players have been named to the National Golf Coaches Association All-Scholar Golf Team (3.5 grade-point average and play in 66 percent of events) and 18 times have earned the Conference USA Commissioners Academic Medal (minimum 3.75 GPA). Seventy-five times, players have earned all-Conference USA academic team honors (minimum 3.0 GPA). During her final season at USF, 10 players were named to the BIG EAST Conference Academic All-Star Team (minimum 3.0 GPA). The overall team grade-point average over the final 12 years at USF was an impressive 3.24.

Prior to college coaching Holt worked as a club professional in West Palm Beach, Fla., and Ipswich, Mass. She is a 1988 graduate of Ohio State University, where she played on the women's golf team that won Big Ten Championships in 1985 and 1988 and played in the NCAA Championship those same years.

Holt graduated from Fairmont High School in Kettering, Ohio. She has been a member of the PGA of America since 1992.

Susan married Tim Holt of Kokomo, Ind., in 1993 and they are the parents of two children, Justin and Kristin.