Head Coach Dan Wesley returned to his alma mater in 2007 to take over the Yellowjacket golf program and recently completed his 18th season as head coach in 2024-25.
Wesley has guided the ‘Jackets to 27 tournament victories, 34 runner-ups, and 89 top-3 finishes in 160 events.
Last season was a banner year for the Yellowjackets, as Rochester secured its second straight Liberty League title with a record score of 9-under for the three-day event. Later in the season, UR ended in a tie for 11th place, with a team record 72-hole score of 1199, at the NCAA Division III Championships, its highest finish at nationals since 1994. Rochester also smashed the team single-season scoring average record by more than seven shots, combining to average 292.94 each round during the 2024-25 season.
Wesley was named GCAA Division III, Region II Coach of the Year for the second consecutive season and also earned his second straight Liberty League Coach of the Year honor. Additionally, the UR grad was one of five coaches named a finalist for GCAA Division III National Coach of the Year. Rochester compiled four of the top-5 best single-round team scores in program history, shooting a season-best 281 (3-under) at the Golfweek October Classic.
Over the last five seasons (2021-25), Rochester has had five All-Americans, 20 All-Region selections and ten tournament wins, including two at the Liberty League Championships.
Wesley has been voted as the Liberty League Coach of the Year four times, coming in 2024-25, 2023-24, 2016-17 and 2013-14. Additionally, he was the Region II Coach of the Year in back-to-back seasons in 2024 and 2025 and has four Regional Coach of the Year honors to his name, earning recognition also following the 2012 and 2014 seasons.
Individual honors earned under Wesley’s guidance include All-American honors Nick Palladino (2011, 2012, 2013, & 2014) who also won the Phil Mickelson award for NCAA National Freshman of the Year, Jason Paek in 2018, Declan Hickton in 2021, Kerry Wang in 2023 and Tom Liu in 2024. Palladino finished his career as the only 4-time All-American in program history.
Wesley's golfers have claimed a total of 95 All-Conference accolades, including 39 First Team honorees spanning the UAA and Liberty League. Ten have been selected either UAA or Liberty League Player of the Year.
There have been 18 different All-American Scholars under Coach Wesley; Stephen Goodridge (2008), Jon Pecor (2008, 2009), Chris Driscoll (2010), Ryan Williams (2010, 2011), Dominick Schumacher (2015, 2016), G.W. VanderZwaag (2015, 2016), Jona Scott (2016, 2017), Daniel Luftspring (2016, 2017), Jason Paek (2017, 2018), Jack Mulligan (2019), Declan Hickton (2021), Nishant Datta (2021, 2022), Brendan Frain (2021, 2022, 2023, 2024), Lewis Raboy (2022), Tom Liu (2022, 2023, 2024), Kerry Wang (2022, 2023, 2024), Gary Pan (2023) and Jonathan Zou (2023).
Recently, Wesley has been active on national committees with both the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) and the NCAA. He served two terms (2019-2024) on the GCAA National Advisory Board and just recently wrapped up his time on the NCAA Division III Championships Committee, serving from 2022-2025.
A 1994 graduate of Rochester, Wesley played for the legendary Don Smith and served as team captain his senior year. While at Rochester, Wesley played in three NCAA Championships, helping the Yellowjackets to a sixth place finish and their highest ranking ever in the national poll. Wesley also was a three time All-UAA selection.
After graduating from Rochester with a B.S. in Psychology, Wesley served as an assistant golf professional at The Country Club of Rochester and at The Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo, Florida before moving on to sales representative positions with both Maxfli and Srixon.
While at The Country Club of Rochester, Coach Wesley learned under Sam Urzetta, the 1950 U.S. Amateur champion and longtime Rochester sports legend, and his son Michael, the current head professional at CCR.
Wesley is also a current member of the Golf Coaches Association of America Hall of Fame Committee, and is a past Chairman of the NCAA All-American Committee.
Coach Wesley resides in Pittsford with his wife Kelly (UR ’00), daughter Emma, and son Jack.
| YEAR BY YEAR COACHING RECORD |
| YEAR |
SCHOOL |
WIN |
LOSS |
POSTSEASON |
| 2007-08 |
University of Rochester |
41 |
34 |
None |
| 2008-09 |
University of Rochester |
65 |
37 |
None |
| 2009-10 |
University of Rochester |
74 |
25 |
None |
| 2010-11 |
University of Rochester |
83 |
16 |
NCAA Div. III Tournament - Ind. |
| 2011-12 |
University of Rochester |
71 |
27 |
NCAA Div. III Tournament - Ind. |
| 2012-13 |
University of Rochester |
45 |
23 |
None |
| 2013-14 |
University of Rochester |
104 |
41 |
NCAA Div. III Tournament - 12th * |
| 2014-15 |
University of Rochester |
69 |
42 |
None |
| 2015-16 |
University of Rochester |
72 |
44 |
None |
| 2016-17 |
University of Rochester |
71 |
70 |
NCAA Div. III Tournament - 26th * |
| 2017-18 |
University of Rochester |
63 |
42 |
None |
| 2018-19 |
University of Rochester |
42 |
74 |
None |
| 2019-20 |
University of Rochester |
43 |
36 |
None |
| 2020-21 |
University of Rochester |
18 |
2 |
NCAA Div. III Tournament - Ind. |
| 2021-22 |
University of Rochester |
83 |
62 |
None |
| 2022-23 |
University of Rochester |
75 |
55 |
None |
| 2023-24 |
University of Rochester |
95 |
97 |
NCAA Tournament - 28th * |
| 2024-25 |
University of Rochester |
115 |
62 |
NCAATournament - 11th * |
|
ROCHESTER TOTALS |
1232 |
809 |
4 NCAA Team Appearances |
|
GRAND TOTAL |
1232 |
809 |
|
|
PERCENT |
.604 |
* - Liberty League Champions |
NOTE - Record calculated vs. opponents in tournaments (ex. 4th of 10 = 6-3).
Ties count as win vs. that opponent(s). |
(updated 6/2025)
