Head Coach Dan Wesley returned to his alma mater in 2007 to take over the Yellowjacket golf program and recently completed his 19th season as head coach in 2025-26.
Wesley has guided the ‘Jackets to 30 tournament victories, 35 runner-ups, and 94 top-3 finishes in 169 events.
Last year, URochester enjoyed tremendous success on the course, with a program-record three individuals garnering All-America status. Five were named All-Region, second-most in program history. The Yellowjackets claimed their third-straight Liberty League team title after mounting a huge day three rally with a team single-round record score of 15-under, 273 over the final 18 holes.
At the NCAA Division III Championships, UR finished tied for 18th overall, falling in a playoff for the final spot to make the cut. The 'Jackets recorded a team-best single-round at NCAA's, shooting 295 during round two. In 2025-26, the team had a scoring average of 293.9 strokes per round, second-best in program history. Wesley was named Region II Coach of the Year by the GCAA for the third year in a row and was honored with his fifth overall Liberty League Coach of the Year honor. The Yellowjackets also established a tournament record at the Fred Kravetz Invitational (292-277=569), with the second round score being the second-best single-round in team history.
2024-25 saw the Yellowjackets win their second straight Liberty League title. The team later finished in a tie for 11th at the NCAA Division III Championships, setting a team-record score of 1199 for the 72-hole event, while earning its best-finish at nationals since 1994. UR set a team-record 292.94 scoring average on the season and Wesley was honored as GCAA Division III Region II and Liberty League Coach of the Year, while being a finalist for the Division III National Coach of the Year Award.
Over the last six seasons (2021-26), Rochester has had eight All-Americans, 25 All-Region selections and 13 tournament wins, including three at the Liberty League Championships.
Wesley has been voted as the Liberty League Coach of the Year five times, coming in 2025-26, 2024-25, 2023-24, 2016-17 and 2013-14. Additionally, has five GCAA Regional Coach of the Year honors to his name.
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. Other All-Americans include Jason Paek in 2018, Declan Hickton in 2021, Kerry Wang in 2023, Tom Liu in 2024 and Shibo Wang in 2025. Alvin Su earned two A-A honors, coming in the 2025 and 2026 seasons. Palladino finished his career as the only 4-time All-American in program history.
Wesley's golfers have claimed a total of 100 All-Conference accolades, including 42 First Team honorees spanning the UAA and Liberty League. 11 have been selected either UAA or Liberty League Player of the Year.
There have been 19 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), Jonathan Zou (2023) and Shibo Wang (2025).
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 |
TIE (Match Play) |
POSTSEASON |
| 2007-08 |
University of Rochester |
41 |
34 |
0 |
None |
| 2008-09 |
University of Rochester |
65 |
37 |
0 |
None |
| 2009-10 |
University of Rochester |
74 |
25 |
0 |
None |
| 2010-11 |
University of Rochester |
83 |
16 |
0 |
NCAA Div. III Tournament - Ind. |
| 2011-12 |
University of Rochester |
71 |
27 |
0 |
NCAA Div. III Tournament - Ind. |
| 2012-13 |
University of Rochester |
45 |
23 |
0 |
None |
| 2013-14 |
University of Rochester |
104 |
41 |
0 |
NCAA Div. III Tournament - 12th * |
| 2014-15 |
University of Rochester |
69 |
42 |
0 |
None |
| 2015-16 |
University of Rochester |
72 |
44 |
0 |
None |
| 2016-17 |
University of Rochester |
71 |
70 |
0 |
NCAA Div. III Tournament - 26th * |
| 2017-18 |
University of Rochester |
63 |
42 |
0 |
None |
| 2018-19 |
University of Rochester |
42 |
74 |
0 |
None |
| 2019-20 |
University of Rochester |
43 |
36 |
0 |
None |
| 2020-21 |
University of Rochester |
18 |
2 |
0 |
NCAA Div. III Tournament - Ind. |
| 2021-22 |
University of Rochester |
83 |
62 |
0 |
None |
| 2022-23 |
University of Rochester |
75 |
55 |
0 |
None |
| 2023-24 |
University of Rochester |
95 |
97 |
0 |
NCAA Tournament - 28th * |
| 2024-25 |
University of Rochester |
115 |
62 |
0 |
NCAA Tournament - 11th * |
| 2025-26 |
University of Rochester |
86 |
70 |
1 |
NCA Tournament - 18th * |
|
ROCHESTER TOTALS |
1318 |
879 |
1 |
5 NCAA Team Appearances |
|
GRAND TOTAL |
1318 |
879 |
1 |
|
|
PERCENT |
.600 |
|
* - Liberty League Champions |
NOTE - Record calculated vs. opponents in tournaments (ex. 4th of 10 = 6-3).
Ties in tournaments count as win vs. that opponent(s). Match play ties are recorded as a traditional tie. |
(updated 6/2026)
