Jacob Wilner will enter his 12th season as the head coach of the Wolf Pack in 2021-22.
The 2020-21 season featured a spring season only for the Wolf Pack, but despite a shorter than usual season, Wilner still guided Nevada to an NCAA Regionals appearance for a third consecutive time. In eight events in 2020-21, the Wolf Pack averaged 288.38 strokes per round as a team, which ranks as the fourth-lowest in program history. Nevada had a strong finish to the season as it nearly pulled out a win in the Mountain West Championship, which would have been the program’s first MW title. The Pack used a 17-under par final round to catapult up the team leaderboard and into a tie for first place with New Mexico after the scheduled 54 holes of play. Unfortunately the Lobos bested the Pack on the first playoff hole to capture the team championship, but the runner-up finish still marked Nevada’s best finish in a conference championship since 2010.
Unfortunately, the 2019-20 season was shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic that cancelled spring sports across the nation. Even with a shortened season the Wolf Pack still posted a productive season, setting the program’s team scoring record with a team stroke average of 286.05. In seven tournaments throughout the season, the Pack recorded five top five finishes, including a runner-up showing at the Jackrabbit Invitational. From an individual standpoint, Wilner helped guide senior Sam Harned to a historic season. Harned captured his first collegiate victory at the season-opening Badger Invite, while also setting multiple single season program records including scoring average (70.21).
It was a historic season for Wilner and the Pack in 2018-19 as the team earned its second consecutive at-large bid to NCAA Regionals. Nevada placed seventh at regionals, tying its best regionals finish in program history and highest since 1989. The Pack finished just five shots back of qualifying for nationals for the first time since 2006. Stephen Osborne nearly qualified for the national championship on an individual level, falling on the third hole of a sudden death playoff.
Wilner and the Wolf Pack also set multiple records last season, winning a single season program-best three tournaments and setting the single season scoring record. Nevada captured two wins in the fall in back-to-back fashion at the Nick Watney Invitational and the Visit Stockton Pacific Invitational, and one more in the spring at the Olympic Club Intercollegiate. Additionally, Wilner saw three individuals claim titles as Sam Meek took the crown at the Olympic Club Intercollegiate and Joey Vrzich took the top spot at the Badger Invite and Nick Watney Invitational. Nevada totaled seven top five finishes in its 11 events in 2018-19.
Nevada also had a solid campaign in 2017-18, which included a tournament win, the program scoring record at the time and a trip to NCAA Regionals for the first time since 2007. In 11 events, the Pack earned five top five finishes, including a win at the El Macero Classic to close out the regular season. Nevada took that momentum into the 2018 Mountain West Championship where it earned a third place finish, tying its best finish in that event. For its stellar play throughout the year, Nevada received an at-large bid to the NCAA Norman Regional. It marked the Pack’s first trip to regionals since 2007 and its first at-large selection since 2006. Nevada placed ninth in the 14-team field, which tied its third-best regionals finish.
Under Wilner’s direction the Wolf Pack compiled a team scoring average of 287.45, which set the single season program record at the time. A solid roster up and down the lineup contributed to the superb season, but it was Grant Booth who led the way, finishing as the Pack’s top player in eight of the team’s 11 events. Booth posted a scoring average of 70.61, breaking his own record as the single season scoring average leader, which has since been broken by Harned. He earned All-Mountain West and PING All-Region honors for the first time and capped his career as the all-time scoring average leader at 71.86. Behind Booth, Wilner also had the likes of Sam Meek in his arsenal, who won the individual title at the El Macero Classic, and Joey Vrzich, who posted the third-lowest scoring average on the team.
The previous season was an up and down year for Wilner and the Wolf Pack, with many highlights along the way. Nevada won its debut at the Jackrabbit Invitational where the Pack finished the three-round event at an incredible 41-under par. Nevada had four players finish inside the top 15 at that event, including two who tied for second. Nevada began the year with three consecutive runner-up finishes and secured top 10s in all five fall events. Individually, Booth led the team with the lowest scoring average and was selected to his first NCAA Regionals.
The Wolf Pack earned a seventh place finish in the 2015-16 Mountain West Championship. Highlighted from the championship was Corey Eddings who earned the runner-up finish after he posted the clubhouse lead following rounds one and two.
The 2014-15 season, Wilner's fifth guiding the Pack, was capped off by a sound third place Mountain West finish for Nevada. Wilner had three of his four counting scorers finish in the top-10 in the event as Nick Fuller tied for third, Eddings tied for fourth and Booth tied for seventh.
In 2012-13, Wilner guided the Wolf Pack into its first season in the Mountain West, finishing ninth at the conference championship. The Wolf Pack had two members of the team earn Academic All-MW honors. Also during that season Wilner himself qualified for the 2013 United States Public Links Championships.
The 2011-12 season at Nevada - Wilner's second at the helm - was capped by another NCAA Regional appearance by a Pack player as Kevin Lucas earned an at-large selection and finished 48th at the Norman Regional. Nevada finished sixth at the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Championships with Lucas earning first-team All-WAC honors. In addition, four Pack players earned Academic All-WAC honors in Gustavo Chuang, Andrew Cornella, Zak Griffiths and Taylor Knoll. Nevada nearly got Wilner his first team victory as the team tied Oregon State at the Pacific Invitational but fell to the Beavers on the first hole of the playoff. Lucas did secure the individual victory, the first by a player under Wilner.
Wilner's first season as the head coach of the Wolf Pack in 2010-11 was marked by a strong showing against a challenging schedule and culminated with a pair of golfers, Scott Smith and Kevin Lucas, earning All-Western Athletic Conference accolades. Smith earned an at-large spot into the NCAA Regionals as well, marking the third straight season Nevada was a part of postseason play. Smith twice earned WAC Golfer of the Week honors during the season.
Prior to his promotion to head coach, Wilner spent two seasons with the Wolf Pack as an assistant coach with the Nevada golf program. In 2009-10, the Wolf Pack finished in the top five at six different events, including a second-place finish in the Western Athletic Conference Championships. That also included a team championship at the Saint Mary's Invitational at Poppy Hills G.C. in Pebble Beach, Calif. During the course of the season, the Pack earned its highest ranking in the polls in nearly a decade.
Individually, Jared Becher qualified for the NCAA Regional event and placed fifth at the Southwest Regional, narrowly missing a spot in the NCAA Championships. Becher and Ryan Hallisey each won WAC Golfer of the Week honors from during the season. Taylor Coffman was named to the ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District VIII at-large teams and he, along with Smith, were named Cleveland Golf/Srixon All-America Scholars by the Golf Coaches Association of America.
In his first season with the Wolf Pack in 2008-09, Wilner helped the men's golf team to five top five finishes, including a win at the 2009 Stevinson Ranch Invitational, while Jared Becher, Ryan Hallisey and Scott Smith all earned All-Western Athletic Conference honors. On the women's side, the Wolf Pack had three top five showings, including a second-place team finish and individual win by first-team All-WAC honoree Melanie De Leon at the Northwest Inland Cup.
When he arrived at Nevada, Wilner brought over seven years of experience as a golf instructor to the Wolf Pack, spending a year as a lead instructor at the Hank Haney International Junior Golf Academy in Hilton Head, S.C. He also has worked at golf courses throughout southern California and Myrtle Beach S.C., including three years as an assistant golf professional at Wilshire Country Club in Los Angeles from 2003-06 and a stint as an assistant instructor at the Golf Digest Schools in 2003 in Myrtle Beach.
A 2001 graduate of Coastal Carolina University with a bachelor's degree in recreation and leisure service management, Wilner was a member of the Chanticleer golf team for four years. He earned All-Big South Conference honors from 1998-2000 and was on the dean's list for two years. Wilner averaged 72.3 strokes per round in 1999 and set Coastal Carolina's 54-hole scoring record (205), while he helped the Chanticleers rank fourth in the nation in scoring average in 1999.
A native of Coral Springs, Fla., Wilner graduated from JP Taravella High School in Coral Springs. He met his wife, Amanda, at his alma mater, Coastal Carolina. He has one daughter, Violet.
The File on Jacob Wilner
Born: April 3, 1978
Hometown: Coral Springs, Fla.
Family: Wife - Amanda; Daughter - Violet
Education: Bachelor's – Coastal Carolina University (2001)
Coaching Experience
2010-present: Nevada, head coach
2008-10: Nevada, assistant coach
2001-08: Golf instructor at various locations
Playing Experience
Coastal Carolina (1997-2001)
