Oct. 29, 2007

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Maria Lopez, head coach of the men's and women's golf teams at Embry-Riddle, was named the 2007 Coach of the Year by the The Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Teaching and Club Professional (T&CP), announced Monday. This is the first time a coach from a NAIA institution has been given the award.

Lopez is in her eighth year as the head coach for the women's golf team and enters her fifth year at the helm of the men's team. She has been honored four times by Region XIV as Coach of the Year after coaching the women's team to four regional championships and seven NAIA National Championship appearances. Under her direction, the men's team has garnered four team titles and two National Championship appearances.

Along with athletic accomplishments, the student-athletes on Lopez's teams have consistently earned academic accolades as at least one student-athlete has been named to the Florida Sun Conference All-Academic team every year.

The LPGA Coach of the Year Award is an annual award that is given to a female golf professional that is actively engaged in teaching and/or coaching golf at the collegiate or high school level. The award began in 1980 and is voted on by the executive committee out of a pool of five candidates representing regions of the nation. Lopez represented the Southeastern Region.

Also honored by the LPGA T&CP were Kristy Vik of Buffalo Grove Golf and Sports Center in Buffalo Grove, Ill. as the Professional of the Year and Teresa Zamboni of Ladies' Links Fore Golf in Port Orange, Fla. as Teacher of the Year. All three women are first-time recipients of their respective awards.