Wake Forest Athletics
Photo by: Kaitlyn Stocum / Wake Forest Athletics
Potter Named to WGCA Assistant Coach of the Year Watchlist
4/30/2026 3:13:00 PM | Women's Golf
The four-year letterman at Furman has spent nine seasons on the coaching staff at Wake Forest, joining the program in 2017.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Lyons Family Associate Head Coach Ryan Potter has been named to the 2025-26 WGCA Assistant Coach of the Year Watch List, as announced by the organization this afternoon.
Alongside head coach Kim Lewellen, Potter coached the squad to back-to-back team titles in September, at the ANNIKA Intercollegiate and Jackson T. Stephens Cup. These victories earned a No. 1 ranking heading into the remainder of the October tournaments. Additionally, Potter helped the squad capture both individual titles at those same events, with sophomore Chloe Kovelesky at the ANNIKA and junior Macy Pate at the Jackson T. Stephens Cup.
This past April, Potter served as a caddie for Kovelesky in her debut at the Augusta National Women's Amateur, where the rookie went five-under-par to lock in her spot at Augusta National that Saturday. Under his guidance, the team has maintained a top-10 ranking since October and has placed in the top-5 or better in all stroke play tournaments since the beginning of the 2025-26 season.
Also to note, graduate student Morgan Ketchum and Pate have both earned their highest NCAA rankings with Potter's mentoring, at No. 56 and No. 19 respectively.
At the 2026 ACC Championship, his instruction saw the team shoot 278 (-10) during the final round, matching the third lowest final round score in Wake Forest women's golf history at the tournament. Also at the championship, Kovelesky claimed the third place individual title while shooting the third-lowest 54-hole score to par among previous Demon Deacons at ACCs.
Golf Pride WGCA Assistant Coach of the Year Watch List
About the Women's Golf Coaches Association
The Women's Golf Coaches Association, founded in 1983, is a non-profit organization
representing women's collegiate golf coaches. The WGCA was formed to encourage the
playing of college golf for women in correlation with a general objective of education and in
accordance with the highest tradition of intercollegiate competition. Today, the WGCA
represents over 750 coaches throughout the U.S. and is dedicated to educating, promoting
and recognizing both its members and the student-athletes they represent.
Alongside head coach Kim Lewellen, Potter coached the squad to back-to-back team titles in September, at the ANNIKA Intercollegiate and Jackson T. Stephens Cup. These victories earned a No. 1 ranking heading into the remainder of the October tournaments. Additionally, Potter helped the squad capture both individual titles at those same events, with sophomore Chloe Kovelesky at the ANNIKA and junior Macy Pate at the Jackson T. Stephens Cup.
This past April, Potter served as a caddie for Kovelesky in her debut at the Augusta National Women's Amateur, where the rookie went five-under-par to lock in her spot at Augusta National that Saturday. Under his guidance, the team has maintained a top-10 ranking since October and has placed in the top-5 or better in all stroke play tournaments since the beginning of the 2025-26 season.
Also to note, graduate student Morgan Ketchum and Pate have both earned their highest NCAA rankings with Potter's mentoring, at No. 56 and No. 19 respectively.
At the 2026 ACC Championship, his instruction saw the team shoot 278 (-10) during the final round, matching the third lowest final round score in Wake Forest women's golf history at the tournament. Also at the championship, Kovelesky claimed the third place individual title while shooting the third-lowest 54-hole score to par among previous Demon Deacons at ACCs.
Golf Pride WGCA Assistant Coach of the Year Watch List
- Ellen Secor, University of Central Florida
- Erynne Yoo, University of California, Los Angeles
- Francesco Guarneri, University of Missouri
- Maddie Luitwieler, Baylor University
- Brooke Riley, Stanford University
- Ryan Potter, Wake Forest University
- Katie Rudolph, Columbia University
- Manuela Carbajo Re, Kent State University
- Kim Hall, Auburn University
- Ashley Sease, University of Florida
- Anna Newell, University of Tennessee
- Caterina Don, Eastern Michigan University
- Ryan Heisey, Arizona State University
- Taylor Riggs, Iowa State University
- Linley Ooi, California State University - Fullerton
About the Women's Golf Coaches Association
The Women's Golf Coaches Association, founded in 1983, is a non-profit organization
representing women's collegiate golf coaches. The WGCA was formed to encourage the
playing of college golf for women in correlation with a general objective of education and in
accordance with the highest tradition of intercollegiate competition. Today, the WGCA
represents over 750 coaches throughout the U.S. and is dedicated to educating, promoting
and recognizing both its members and the student-athletes they represent.
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