Men's Coaching Staff

Rob Bradley
Head Coach

Rob Bradley enters his 10th year as the head men's golf coach at Purdue. Considered one of the top collegiate golf coaches in America, Bradley has turned Purdue into a force on the Big Ten and national levels.

Consider the following:
• Has led Purdue to the NCAA Championships in three of his first eight years (not including 2020 -- canceled), one of two Big Ten teams that have accomplished that.
• Led Purdue to the NCAA Regionals in seven of eight possible seasons, the longest stretch of postseason golf for the program since reaching the postseason in 19 straight seasons from 1949 to 1967.
• Purdue has posted nine of the 11-best team stroke averages in school history during his tenure.
• In school history, Purdue has had 10 or more team rounds under par in a season seven different times. Six of them have come under Bradley, including a school-record 17 team rounds of even or under par in 2021-22
• Led Purdue to its first Big Ten title of any kind since 1981 with a shared victory in the 2018 Big Ten Match Play Championship. Finished second by just five shots at the 2019 Big Ten Championship, Purdue's highest finish since 2001.
• In school history, there have been 12 team events where every round was even or under par. Eleven of them have come in the Bradley era.
• There have been 28 rounds of 277 or better in school history -- 21 of them have come under Bradley. There have been 13 rounds of 276 or better -- 12 of them under Bradley.
• There have been 25 team tournament scores of 855 or better in school history -- 17 of them have come under Bradley, including the nine-lowest tournament scores in Purdue history.
• Over the last five years, Brian Carlson (56th - 2018), Hernan Sekne (64th - 2022) and Timmy Hildebrand (74th - 2019) were Purdue's highest-ranked individuals since 2007.
• Fifteen of the 20 best single-season individual stroke averages have come during the Bradley era.

A year ago, Purdue recorded one of its best seasons in school history, setting a school record for most under- or even-par rounds (17) and stroke average (286.63). The Boilermakers finished the season ranked 28th in the final Golfweek rankings, the Boilermakers' highest ranking since finishing 18th in 2002. Purdue, which was ranked in the Golf Coaches Association of America top-25 for most of the season, had three players earn All-Big Ten accolades for the first time since 1981 and were paced by Herman Sekne and Joe Weiler, who both earned first-team accolades. During the course of the season, Purdue defeated NCAA Championship qualifiers Georgia, Ole Miss, Kansas, Arizona, Florida State, Ohio State, Liberty, East Tennessee State and Charleston and won its first tournament since the fall of 2019, when it won the Marquette Intercollegiate. Individually, Sekne finished the season second in school history in stroke average (71.17) and won four Big Ten Golfer of the Week honors -- the second most in league history. Weiler and Cole Bradley also ended incredible careers with Weiler being one of five players in Purdue history to be named first-team All-Big Ten twice during their careers (Bill Hoffer, Lenny Hartlage, Lee Williamson, Pariya Junhasavasdikul).

Two years ago, Purdue put itself in contention for an NCAA Regionals appearance, but the loss of the fall season hurt the Boilermakers. Nonetheless, there were still some highlights. Joe Weiler and Cole Bradley were named PING All-Midwest Region. Bradley reached the NCAA Championships final round, placing 39th and earning Honorable Mention All-American honors in the process. Weiler earned a runner-up finish at the Big Ten Championships, Purdue's highest finish since 2007.

In 2019-20, a young Purdue roster was in position to make another NCAA Regionals appearance before the worldwide pandemic hit. The Boilermakers won the Marquette Intercollegiate and finished second at the season-opening Island Resort Intercollegiate. Junior Joe Weiler was named All-Big Ten and to the PING All-Midwest Region team while posting the fourth-best stroke average in school history (72.05). Purdue's 290.38 team stroke average ranked fifth in school history.

Four years ago, Purdue played its best golf late in the season. On the NCAA Regionals bubble, the Boilermakers surged into the field with a second-place finish at the Boilermaker Invitational and the Big Ten Championships, the team's highest placing since 2001. Purdue's season ended at NCAA Regionals with a ninth-place finish, but in the process showcased its youth as five returnees saw extensive action. Timmy Hildebrand was named first-team All-Big Ten after ranking second on Purdue's single-season stroke average list (71.26) and finishing with nine top-20 showings, the second most in school history.

In 2017-18, Bradley oversaw a rapid improvement from a very young team to reach NCAA Regionals for the fifth straight season. After posting just a 34-31-1 fall record and a national ranking in the 60s, the Boilermakers posted a 71-26-3 head-to-head record and rose to the low 40s in the national rankings, while cutting almost five shots off its team average. The result was Purdue's fifth straight regionals appearance.

Six years ago, Purdue rode the talents of seniors Austin Eoff and Fernando Barco to reach the NCAA Championships for the third time in Bradley's first four years. The Boilermakers posted a 290.26 stroke average which was second at the time while Eoff became the third player in school history to earn All-Big Ten honors in four straight seasons and the first to earn four PING All-Region honors. Barco was named a second-team All-Big Ten honoree after posting the seventh-best stroke average in school history (72.66).

The 2015-16 season was one of the most successful in school history, as the Boilermakers reached the NCAA Championships for the 28th time. Purdue won three events as a team, the most since 2011 and the fifth most in a season in school history. Purdue advanced to the NCAA Championships for the second time in three years and finished the season ranked No. 32, its highest final ranking since 2005 (31st). Bradley had three players named to the PING All-Midwest Region team and three players ranked in the single-season top 13 stroke average list, led by Austin Eoff's 72.76 average. Four times during the year did a Purdue player win Big Ten Golfer of the Week honors and two players (Eoff, Brian Carlson) won individual medalist honors.

In his first year at Purdue, all Bradley did was lead the Boilermakers to their first NCAA Championship berth since 2005, the program's highest NCAA Regional finish since 2002 and matching Purdue's best Big Ten finish since 2007. Purdue accomplished all that with just one senior and three freshmen in its top six golfers. Two Boilermakers (Austin Eoff, Adam Schenk) were named to the All-Big Ten team for the first time since 2007 and three golfers (Eoff, Schenk, Enzo Perez) were selected to the PING All-Midwest Region squad for the first time in school history.

Bradley, a former player of Devon Brouse's at North Carolina, was named Purdue head men's golf coach on July 10, 2013. Bradley spent the 2012-13 season as an assistant coach at Alabama, where he helped guide the Crimson Tide to a national championship.

Prior to Alabama, Bradley enjoyed a successful three-year tenure as an assistant at the University of North Florida (2009-12), during which the Ospreys qualified for the NCAA Regional three times and advanced to the NCAA Championships twice, finishing 14th in 2011 and tied for 12th in 2012.

During his time at UNF, Bradley helped tutor two players who combined for three All-America honors. Sean Dale was a two-time All-American, earning second-team honors in 2010 and third-team accolades in 2012. Kevin Aylwin garnered honorable mention recognition in 2012.

Bradley was a four-year starter for Brouse at North Carolina before embarking on a professional career. During his time in Chapel Hill, he helped lead the Tar Heels to nine tournament victories, two ACC Championships, four NCAA Tournament appearances and a third-place finish at the 1993 NCAA Championships.

The 2012 graduate of Excelsior College spent seven years as a full member of the Nationwide Tour (1997, 2000-04 and 2008) and was a two-time participant in the U.S. Open (1997 and 2003). He was a six-time finalist at the PGA's Q-School and won the 1999 Kentucky Open Championship. Bradley also claimed the 1995 New Jersey State Amateur Championship.

Bradley and his wife, Chastity, have a son, Cole, and a daughter, Wesley.

Andrew Sapp
Men's Golf Assistant Coach

Purdue men's golf head coach Rob Bradley has announced that long-time successful head coach and former Purdue assistant coach Andrew Sapp will join the coaching staff.

Sapp arrives after serving as a volunteer assistant coach at Ball State, but prior to that spent almost 20 years as a successful head coach at three stops.

Sapp brings a wealth of coaching experience to Purdue after having head coaching stints at East Carolina (2017-21), his alma mater North Carolina (2012-17) and the University of Michigan (2002-11). He was a part of the Purdue coaching staff from 1998 to 2002. Sapp also served as the President of the Golf Coaches Association of America from 2016-18.

Sapp began in coaching career at North Carolina in 1993, helping the Tar Heels to five straight NCAA Championship appearances and a 10th-place finish in 1997. Following that year, he came to Purdue, then helping the men's squad to a seventh-place finish in the NCAA Championships, while assisting with the Boilermakers' last All-American (Lee Williamson). The men's team also won Regional titles in 2001 and 2002. He helped guide the women's team to a ninth-place showing at the 2000 NCAA Championships.

In 2002, he was named Michigan's head men's golf coach, leading the Wolverines to a pair of top-10 national championship finishes in 2011 (10th) and 2009 (3rd). His 2011 squad won the 2011 NCAA Central Regional championship and he recruited and signed the nation's No. 7-ranked golfer in high school. In addition, he created the vision, assisted in the design and helped raise funds for a $2.5 million indoor practice facility.

Sapp was then named North Carolina's head coach in 2011, improving the program's ranking from 73rd in 2011 to 26th in 2017. The Tar Heels reached the 2017 NCAA Championships placing 18th and recruited and signed four of the top-10 nationally-ranked high school junior golfers.

In 2017, Sapp was hired at East Carolina, leading the Pirates to two team titles and signing two nationally-ranked top-100 players. While at East Carolina, he coached three players into the top five of the program's all-time career stroke average list.

Sapp earned a pair of degrees from UNC, a bachelor's degree in business administration in 1993 and a master's in sports administration in 1996.

He and his wife Laura have one son, Connor.