Women's Golf Coaching Staff

Lissa Bradford
Head Women's Golf Coach

Lissa Bradford is in her seventh year as the head coach of the women's golf program at Belmont.

In her first six seasons as head coach, the Bruins have taken enormous strides, as evidenced by the program's unparalleled success in 2006-07. As a team, Belmont finished in the Top 10 in all 12 events last season, including the first two team titles in program history: APSU Intercollegiate and the McAmis Invitational. Moreover, Bradford oversaw the continued development of Lorie Warren, who became the first golfer in program history to be named First Team All-Atlantic Sun. Warren won three individual titles and finished second in the conference in scoring average.

In addition, six Bruin golfers finished the year with scoring averages under 80, speaking to the vast depth and overall talent of the program. Braford has embraced Belmont's ideal of crafting true student-athletes, as her team earns academic recognition year after year. In 2006-07, seven Bruin team members earned Academic All-Conference honors. Futhermore, Lauren Oeser was named to the NGCA All-American Scholar Team.

During the 2005-06 season, junior Audra Williams won the program's first individual championship at Austin Peay and freshman Lorie Warren was honored as the A-Sun Golfer of the Month for October, the first Bruin to be so honored. Warren also broke several school records during her first season at Belmont. BU also posted their highest finish at the A-Sun Championship, with a sixth place finish this past April.

Off the course, many Belmont golfers have been honored by the university and the Atlantic Sun Conference. Sara Burkhead, who played for the Bruins and also served as a student assistant coach, was given the department's Director of Athletics' Character Award in 2002. All told, 16 golfers have earned Atlantic Sun All-Academic honors over the past four seasons.

In building the program, Lissa has also begun to improve the talent on her team by cultivating the high-caliber high school golf programs of Middle Tennessee. Six of the team's seven golfers are from the Midstate. Two members in particular, Lauren Oeser and Lorie Warren, have distinguished themselves among the top golfers in the state the past several years.

In addition to her Belmont duties, Lissa serves as Junior Golf Director for the Tennessee Golf Foundation. As director, she oversees the Tennessee Golf Association Junior Tour and conducts Junior Competitions. In 1998, she received the PGA National Junior Golf Leader award.

"We are pleased with what Lissa has done with the program during these first six years," said Mike Strickland, Belmont's Director of Athletics. "She has begun to lay the groundwork for the future success of our women's golf program in the Atlantic Sun Conference."

Bradford has known success both on and off the course on many levels. As a senior in high school at Nashville's Harpeth Hall, she won the TSSAA State High School Individual Championship. After her prep career, she was a four-year letterwinner at the University of Alabama. While playing for the Crimson Tide, she served as team captain for two years and was named to the Southeastern Conference All- Academic team. Also during this time, Lissa captured two Tennessee Women's Amateur Championships.

Following her collegiate career, she served as an assistant professional at several country clubs throughout the South including two in the Nashville area: Belle Meade Country Club and the Gaylord Springs Golf Club. In 1995, she joined the Tennessee Golf Foundation.

Lissa resides in Franklin.