This week we welcome, Santiago Cavanagh, both the head Men's & Women's Golf Coach of Flagler College. Santiago begins his 15th season as the Director of Golf of Flagler and sits down to discuss his incredible fall season with the Women's team who won their last there events, including finishing (-7) as a team in their final event of the 2023 fall season. Santi discusses team dynamics, what creates a positive culture for the men's and women's teams, how coaching men and ladies differs, as well as advice to parents and coaches.
Follow Santiago at @santiagocavanaghgolf
Follow the Flagler Men's & Women's Golf teams @flagler_college_golf
Santiago's Bio from flaglerathletics.com
Cavanagh has been selected as the Peach Belt Conference's Coach of the Year seven times - 2010 (men), 2014 (men and women), 2018 (women), 2019 (women), 2021 (women), and 2023 (women). He was the first coach to be named coach of the year in the Peach Belt for both a men's and a women's sport.
Under his guidance, five men have earned PING Division II All-America honors while another 10 have earned all-region accolades. The women's program had its first All-American in Stella Jelinek (2023). A total of 42 golfers (26 women and 16 men) have earned All-PBC honors and three golfers, Stephanie Tucker (2014), Pauline Tainton (2019) and Stella Jelinek (2023), were named PBC Player of the Year. He has also coached five PBC Freshmen of the Year. Thirty-four golfers have earned academic All-PBC honors.
This past season (2022-23), the Saints women finished in second place while the men were fourth in the PBC Tournament. Stella Jelinek took home PBC Player and Freshman of the Year, which was only the second time that has happened since the league sponsored the sport. She and Jordyn Hodgson earned first team all-conference honors while Sophie Wheeler was selected to the second team.
In 2021-22, both men's and women's golf teams finished in second place at the PBC Tournament. Mauro Baez played as an individual at the NCAA Division II South/Southeast Regional. Baez earned first team all-conference honors on the men's side while Sophie Wheeler, Jan Browne, and Fernanda Lacaz were selected to the women's all-conference teams.
The women's golf team won their fourth consecutive PBC Tournament title in the spring of 2021. The Saints had five all-conference selections, including Kim Jakobs who earned her fourth award.
The 2019-20 season saw Mauro Baez earn PING All-America and all-region honors. Daniela Alonso was selected as the PBC's Freshman of the Year. Baez finished the season ranked No. 16.
The golf program had a banner year in 2019. The Saints were the first men's and women's team to have captured league titles in the same season. The women won their third title in a row, and fourth overall. Juan Iturra earned medalist honors for the Saints men. Pauline Tainton (first-team), Miranda Greene (first-team), and Kim Jakobs (second-team) were selected to the all-conference teams. Mauro Baez (first-team) and Iturra (second-team) earned all-conference honors on the men's side.
In 2017-18, Cavanagh's women's team captured its third PBC title, and their second in a row. A program record five golfers earned all-conference honors: Lara Ardler (first-team), Natalia Azcue (first-team), Greene (first-team), Jakobs (second-team) and Tainton (second-team). The Saints qualified for the NCAA Division II regional for the ninth consecutive season. The Saints wrapped up the year ranked No. 9 by Golfstat.
During the 2016-17, Cavanagh coached the women's team to its secon
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mgesualdi@stjohnsgolf.com
The Golf Academy at St. Johns
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