Pull Back the Plaid Curtain on Head Men’s and Women’s Golf Coach Dan Rodgers

Get to know head men’s and women’s golf coach Dan Rodgers in this addition of "Pull Back the Plaid Curtain!"

1. What drew you to being a coach – why the path to intercollegiate athletics?

I love the game of golf. After graduating from Slippery Rock University with a B.S. in business administration, I began working full-time in the golf business. I worked at a variety of clubs as a golf professional. In those roles, some of my favorite aspects of the job was being around the game of golf, playing the game, teaching, and organizing and running events. While working, I decided to pursue a graduate degree from California University of Pennsylvania. I earned a master of science in sport management with a concentration in intercollegiate athletics. The combination of this education, my positive student athletic experiences at SRU, a desire to lead a golf team and serve as a mentor for athletes, and encouragement from people close to me led me to pursue a coaching position at Carnegie Mellon University. I started out coaching the women’s team part-time seven years ago and began full-time as both the men’s and women’s coach in January of 2017.

2. What is your favorite memory during your time at Carnegie Mellon?

There are so many… The first was finishing fifth at our first trip to the women’s national championship in 2018. Looking back, that moment played such a critical role at where we are as a women’s program today!

The men have had some great moments as well. Last year’s finish at the national championship was big, but the win this spring at the Savannah Invitational was amazing! We think that the men set Division III records with their final round of 19-under par. It was very exciting, and I feel fortunate to be a part of such a great athletics program at CMU.

3. Who has been the most influential person in your career?

I am fortunate to have had a lot of support and encouragement from a variety of people throughout my life. This makes narrowing down the most influential people in my career a difficult task. I would have to say that my dad was very influential in making decisions about my early career. Growing up, he used the old adage of find something that you love to do and figure out a way to make it your job. I took those words to heart as I started into my career as a golf professional working at different golf clubs and courses making golf my job. Taking the leap to collegiate athletics was largely a result of the confidence that my wife and family had in my abilities to pursue and succeed in a coaching role in intercollegiate athletics. There are plenty of other people that I have not named that have believed in me and helped to influence my career, and I am very thankful for all of them.

4. What was sports like while you were growing up – how do you think it’s changed?

I played baseball from ages 6-16, basketball for a few years in grade school, and then started playing golf after I injured my arm in tenth grade. Youth sports has changed a lot since I participated as a kid. Some changes are good, some not so good. I really wish that kids would have the opportunity to play multiple sports and not be forced into thinking that they have to be one dimensional too soon.

5. What is the most memorable athletic event you have witnessed / been a part of outside of Carnegie Mellon Athletics?

The most memorable was game four of the 1997 eastern conference finals when the Penguins played the Flyers in the old Civic Arena. It was the first Pens game I had ever been to and my parents wanted me to see Mario Lemieux before he retired. Mario scored with a few minutes left to go in the game and the place went crazy. It took five minutes to get the game back underway as stuff got thrown on the ice as the crowd celebrated Mario’s goal. He retired after they lost the series in the following game…what a game it was. Watch

6. What is one thing that no one knows about you?

Good question…there are many but one that I’m willing to share is that I can drink coffee at just about any time of day and not have any effect on my sleep schedule.

For other department member responses, visit Pull Back the Plaid Curtain.