University of Tennessee Athletics
Photo by: Drew Garrison/Tennessee Athletics
Diana Cantú Named to WGCA National Coach of the Year Watch List
May 04, 2026 | Women's Golf
FRISCO, Texas – Tennessee head coach Diana Cantú was named to the Women's Golf Coaches Association (WGCA) Division I Jackie Steinmann National Coach of the Year watch list, as announced on Monday afternoon.
With a watch list featuring 20 of the nation's top head coaches, the Division I Jackie Steinmann National Coach of the Year award is awarded annually to the top coach in Division I women's golf.
Cantú earns the honor after taking the Lady Vols to new heights in the 2025-26 season. Consistent improvement in each of her five seasons at the helm culminated in Tennessee claiming its first SEC Championship in program history in April. With the conference title, the Lady Vols earned their fourth team win of the season, a new single-season program record surpassing the previous mark of three set on three prior occasions, most recently in the 2005-06 season.
The 2025-26 season has also garnered unprecedented personal honors under Cantú's leadership. Madison Messimer was named the SEC Freshman of the Year, becoming the first Lady Vol to win the award since Violeta Retamoza in 2003. Additionally, Messimer earned a spot on the All-SEC First Team, while sophomore Kyra Van Kan was named to the All-SEC Second Team. The duo became the first all-conference recipients in the Cantú era, with the most recent prior honor coming in 2020.
Following all the success in the regular season and the SEC Championship, Tennessee was selected as the No. 3 seed in the Waco NCAA Regional, matching the best regional seed in program history. The Lady Vols will begin their pursuit of a second consecutive NCAA Championship appearance on Monday, May 11, at Ridgewood Country Club in Waco, Texas.
Division I Jackie Steinmann National Coach of the Year Watch List
Kim Lewellen – Wake Forest
Dan Brooks – Duke
Josh Brewer – Eastern Michigan
Aimee Neff – North Carolina
Casey VanDamme – Kent State
Gerrod Chadwell – Texas A&M
Laura Ianello – Texas
Shauna Estes-Taylor – Arkansas
Christie Martens – Iowa State
Caroline Westrop – Missouri
Emily Glaser – Florida
Melissa Luellen – Auburn
Greg Allen – Vanderbilt
Emily Marron – UCF
Diana Cantú – Tennessee
Anne Walker – Stanford
Justin Silverstein – USC
Derek Radley – Oregon
Laurie Gibbs – Pepperdine
Alicia Um Holmes – UCLA
With a watch list featuring 20 of the nation's top head coaches, the Division I Jackie Steinmann National Coach of the Year award is awarded annually to the top coach in Division I women's golf.
Cantú earns the honor after taking the Lady Vols to new heights in the 2025-26 season. Consistent improvement in each of her five seasons at the helm culminated in Tennessee claiming its first SEC Championship in program history in April. With the conference title, the Lady Vols earned their fourth team win of the season, a new single-season program record surpassing the previous mark of three set on three prior occasions, most recently in the 2005-06 season.
The 2025-26 season has also garnered unprecedented personal honors under Cantú's leadership. Madison Messimer was named the SEC Freshman of the Year, becoming the first Lady Vol to win the award since Violeta Retamoza in 2003. Additionally, Messimer earned a spot on the All-SEC First Team, while sophomore Kyra Van Kan was named to the All-SEC Second Team. The duo became the first all-conference recipients in the Cantú era, with the most recent prior honor coming in 2020.
Following all the success in the regular season and the SEC Championship, Tennessee was selected as the No. 3 seed in the Waco NCAA Regional, matching the best regional seed in program history. The Lady Vols will begin their pursuit of a second consecutive NCAA Championship appearance on Monday, May 11, at Ridgewood Country Club in Waco, Texas.
Division I Jackie Steinmann National Coach of the Year Watch List
Kim Lewellen – Wake Forest
Dan Brooks – Duke
Josh Brewer – Eastern Michigan
Aimee Neff – North Carolina
Casey VanDamme – Kent State
Gerrod Chadwell – Texas A&M
Laura Ianello – Texas
Shauna Estes-Taylor – Arkansas
Christie Martens – Iowa State
Caroline Westrop – Missouri
Emily Glaser – Florida
Melissa Luellen – Auburn
Greg Allen – Vanderbilt
Emily Marron – UCF
Diana Cantú – Tennessee
Anne Walker – Stanford
Justin Silverstein – USC
Derek Radley – Oregon
Laurie Gibbs – Pepperdine
Alicia Um Holmes – UCLA
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