With more than 18 years of experience in golf instruction, as well as a professional background, Radford women’s golf head coach Jeff Beeler has now guided the Highlanders for 15 seasons.
Beeler has taken the long-standing program to new heights in his time as a Highlander. Of note in recent seasons, Beatriz Mosquera Quintas recorded the best individual round score (71) in program history at the 2019 Big South Championships, as well as the lowest single-season scoring average (74.47) in program history across the entire 2018-19 campaign.
Natalie Welsh and Jayde Dudley concluded their careers in the 2022-23 season under Beeler's tutelage, recording the 6th and 9th-best career scoring averages in program history at 78.26 and 79.86, respectively.
His best season at the helm came in 2015, when he led his team to a third place finish at the 2015 Big South Championships - the best finish at the conference tournament in program history.
Radford’s success was spurred by senior Alexandra Austin, who established the program record for career scoring average (77.03). She earned All-Big South honors for the second time in her career, becoming just the second RU women’s golfer to accomplish the feat.
Another part of that success was with the help of Khushboo Thiagaraj, who finished her Highlander career in 2018. She capped off her career nicely with a top five finish at the Big South Championships, which garnered her a spot on the Big South All-Tournament Team. Thiagaraj ended her career with a 78.32 scoring average, which is fourth best in program history.
Youth was also a factor in the Highlanders’ progression. Big South all-freshman team member Thiagaraj totaled three Top-20 showings, while finishing second on the team in scoring average (78.70). Big South all-tournament honoree Larissa Carter placed third at the Big South Championship, marking the first Highlander to earn the accolade since 2001.
Thiagaraj followed with that success as a junior in the 2017 Big South Championships as she finished tied for seventh individually. She finished the three-day tournament with a 217 final score, which was the best by any Highlander at a Big South Championship by seven strokes.
It was also the Highlanders best finish as a team in a 54-hole Big South Championship since 2010 when Radford shot a 929. However, the 939 shot by the team that week marked the second-best at the 54-hole championship in program history.
The 2013-14 season featured the Highlanders’ third Big South Women’s Golf Scholar-Athlete of the Year, as Kirsty Condon became Beeler’s first golfer to earn the accolade. Radford continued to have success on the course as the squad logged five Top-5 finishes.
Eight Top-10 showings,14 Top-20 individual performances and an all-conference performer highlighted the 2012-13 season. A third-place finish at the Highlander Invitational was Radford’s best showing of the season.
Austin continued her sizzling play into her sophomore year, which culminated with an eighth-place showing at the Big South Championship to secure her 10th career Top-10. The Burke, Va. native tied her season-low 54-hole ledger of 224 (73-78-73). Her phenomenal year earned the sophomore a spot on the all-conference team, Beeler’s fifth golfer to do so.
The 2011-12 campaign featured a school-record stroke average and two Highlanders swinging their way into the Top-10 charts for stroke average amongst league golfers.
For the fourth consecutive year under Beeler, Radford’s school-record stroke average improved (311), bettering the 2010-11 mark of 317. All five players set a new career-low in that category, as well. Radford tallied four Top-10 team performances, highlighted by a runner-up showing at the Low Country Intercollegiate.
The then fifth-year head coach helped Jade Okamoto conclude her four-year career with an all-conference showing at the Big South Championship. After the initial five all-conference players were announced before the tournament, Okamoto played her way into the honor with a ninth-place tie at 229 (+13). Okamoto finished the year with a 76.9 stroke average – 10th best in the conference. In addition, she was Radford’s top finisher in four events.
Beeler also played an instrumental role in developing Austin, who led the Highlanders in stroke average at 76.5 (second best average among freshmen in the Big South). Austin had a career-best showing at the Low Country Intercollegiate where she tied for third, one of three Top-6 finishes on the season. Furthermore, Austin grabbed medalist honors in the Hollins-Radford Dual in September with a four-over 75. In Richmond, Austin posted a 69, the lowest round for Radford this year.
Top finishes were the storyline in 2010-11 as Beeler guided his team to the Winthrop Invitational title and runner-up finish at the Great Smokies Women’s Intercollegiate. At Winthrop, his club captured the two-day event crown by five strokes and placed two in the individual top 3. It also stood as the second team title in school history.
In Waynesville, N.C. at the Great Smokies, Beeler watched his squad card a school-record and tournament-low 285 in the final round to finish runner-up, also setting a new team record with a 36-hole total of 586.
To go along with two of the highest team finishes in program history, Hannah Coles and Okamoto were tabbed Big South Women’s Golfer of the Week after each event.
The Highlanders finished sixth or better in six events during 2010-11 and tallied seven Top-10 showings.
As head coach, his duties include managing every aspect of the women’s program, including practice, scheduling and recruiting.
Prior to coaching at Radford, Beeler was the head golf professional of Old Trail Golf Club, located just outside Charlottesville in Crozet, Va. In addition to managing the day-to-day operations of the course, he gave private lessons and led clinics; Beeler was also the course’s tournament director and organized the Old Trail Invitational, one of Central Virginia’s top amateur tournaments.
Along with his professional experience, Beeler has been teaching the game since 1997 in a number of capacities, ranging from private lessons to players of all skills and ages, to coaching at the varsity high school level.
Beeler’s playing resume includes 1997 Jefferson District Golfer of the Year honors at Western Albemarle High School, as well as intercollegiate rounds at Campbell University, which is located in Buies Creek, N.C. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Campbell in 2002, with a focus in golf management.
A native of Charlottesville, Beeler and the former Julie Griffith of Marion Center, Pa., were married in November of 2003. They are the parents of Lucas Payne, Bryce Hogan and Pavynn Gayle.
Accomplishments Under Beeler (15 Seasons)
37 Top-5 Team Finishes
Highest Team Finish at Big South Championship
3rd, 2015 (Record)
Team Tournament Title
2010 Winthrop Fall Invitational
2023 Elon Women's Invitational
Team Runner-Up Finishes
2008 Lady Herd Invitational
2009 Draper Valley Intercollegiate
2010 Great Smokies Intercollegiate
2012 Low Country Intercollegiate
2019 William & Mary Fall Invitational
Big South Team Sportsmanship Award
2010
Individual Medalist
2008 Hannah Coles (Charleston Southern Invitational)
2008 Hannah Coles (Lady Herd Fall Classic)
2019 Beatriz Mosquera Quintas (Benbow Invitational)
Big South All-Conference Team
Hannah Coles, 2009
Megan Leineweber, 2010
Hannah Coles, 2011
Jade Okamoto, 2012
Alexandra Austin, 2013
Alexandra Austin, 2015
Beatriz Mosquera Quintas, 2019
Big South All-Freshman Team
Khushboo Thiagaraj, 2015
Beatriz Mosquera Quintas, 2019
Big South All-Tournament Team
Larissa Carter, 2015
Khushboo Thiagaraj, 2018
Beatriz Mosquera Quintas, 2019
Big South Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Kirsty Condon, 2014
Big South All-Academic Team
Maggie Watts, 2009
Maggie Watts, 2010
Jade Okamoto, 2011
Kirsty Condon, 2012
Paige Reese, 2013
Kirsty Condon, 2014
Olivia Jay, 2015
Olivia Jay, 2016
Kasidy Beckel, 2017
Kasidy Beckel, 2018
Kasidy Beckel, 2019
Sidney Walker, 2020
Big South Women’s Golfer of the Week
Hannah Coles, 2008-09
Megan Leineweber, 2009-10 (Twice)
Hannah Coles, 2010
Jade Okamoto, 2010
Jade Okamoto, 2011-12 (Twice)
Alexandra Austin, 2013
Hayley Hammond, 2013
Alexandra Austin, 2014
Khushboo Thiagaraj, 2016
Beatriz Mosquera Quintas, 2019 (Twice)
Sidney Walker, 2020
Big South Women’s Golf Freshman of the Week
Olivia Jay, 2013
Khushboo Thiagaraj, 2014
Larissa Carter, 2015
Beatriz Mosquera Quintas, 2018
Jayde Dudley, 2019-20 (Five Times)
Caleigh Street, 2022 (Twice)
18-Hole Team Score
(-3 / 285) 2010 Great Smokies Intercollegiate (Record)
36-Hole Team Score
( +10 / 586) 2010 Great Smokies Intercollegiate (Record)
54-Hole Team Score
(+40 / 904) 2019 William & Mary Invitational (Record)
BEELER ON THE LINKS
Coaching
2008-current
Head Coach, Radford
Playing
Campbell University "B" Team |
