Bio

Chris Grace was hired in the summer of 2024, becoming the second coach in the history of the University of Tampa women's golf program.

Grace served as the global golf director at ASM Sports Group from 2020-22, where he was responsible for facilitating the placement of student-athletes in appropriate college athletic programs. He successfully helped student-athletes navigate the recruitment and placement process, ensuring their successful transition from high school to college athletics. In total, Grace placed 257 golfers at all levels throughout college athletics. In this position, he also assisted student-athletes in developing and enhancing their athletic resumes, highlight videos, and other relevant materials for college applications.

The former head coach at Johnson and Wales University from 2017-20, he led the program in North Miami, Fla., until the retirement of the program. At JWU, Grace took a program that included two players when hired to a team of nine in the final season. Under his leadership, JWU improved its national ranking from No. 109 in Golfstat in 2018 to No. 12 in Golfstat and No. 10 in the NAIA national rankings by March 2020. He led the program to three top-four finishes in 2019-2020. Additionally, he coached seven top-five individual finishers and two individual medalists during his tenure.

Grace was the head women's coach at Redlands Community College from 2010-13, leading the El Reno, Okla., program. He would conclude his time as the 2013 NJCAA National runner-up team, as he was responsible for the recruitment and development of the 2013 NJCAA Individual National Champion. His 2012 team won the NJCAA National Championship with a 49-stroke team victory, setting the NJCAA National Tournament team scoring record. The team also included the 2012 NJCAA Individual National Champion as he led a team that included four NJCAA All-Americans during the championship season. The 2012 NJCAA National Coach of The Year led his players to three team and four individual medalist titles during the 2010-11 season, where they finished as the 2011 NJCAA National runner-up team. He helped the team to two team and two individual medalist titles during the 2010-11 season, which also included four NJCAA All-Americans. His teams were also successful in the classroom, posting a 100-percent graduation rate from 2010-12 while being named the 2012 NJCAA National Academic Team of the Year.

Overall, Grace's experience in golf dates back to 1995, as he also served as the head coach at his alma mater, East Central University, from 1996-2001. His leadership helped the program to a great amount of success, including the development of three NAIA All-Americans and three NCAA Division II All-Americans. While leading his team to the 1997 OIC championship, he was named the 1997 OIC Coach of the Year. His program would finish the 1997 season at the NAIA National Tournament with a ninth-place team finish. His success would continue as the program captured the 1998 NAIA Southwest Regional Championship en route to being named the 1998 NAIA Southwest Region Coach of the Year. The team would finish eighth at the 1998 NAIA National Tournament. In 1999, his team was fourth at the NCAA West Regional as he would be recognized as the 1999 NCAA District 6 Coach of the Year. His NCAA success continued at ECU, with his program finishing fourth in 2000 and third in 2001 at the NCAA West Regional. In 2001, he led East Central to a 12th-place finish at the NCAA National Tournament.

From 2015-17, he worked for the Palm Beach County Junior Golf Association, serving as the tournament director. In this role, he coordinated tournament operations, including schedule development, marketing, promotion, course set-up, rules officiating, scorecards and hole sheets, committee liaison, starting and scoring, groupings and starting times, volunteer recruitment and training, press releases, reporting summary, and event wrap-up.

His experience in golf also includes stints at Indian Spring Golf Club (Boynton Beach, Fla.) and Oak Hills Golf Club (Ada, Okla.). He was also a senior instructor at Dave Pelz Golf from 2001-10, and an assistant coach at Redlands CC from 2008-10.

Grace is a graduate of East Central University in Ada, Okla. He received a Bachelor of Science in physics in 1995, minoring in math.