Oklahoma State University Athletics
Mike Holder
October 04, 2005 | General
His successes include not only his team's results on the course, but his players' performances in the classroom and beyond. His vision and fund-raising abilities have resulted in the creation of Karsten Creek, a magnificent new golf course in Stillwater, selected as the Best New Public Course in 1994 by Golf Digest magazine.
In 2000, Holder's team claimed the national championship, marking the eighth time his squad has carried home that championship trophy. And while top-five national finishes are the norm at Oklahoma State, the accomplishments of his teams don't stop at the 18th hole.
Since Holder took over the OSU coaching post on July 1, 1973, his teams have set standards that are unequalled on the golf course as well as in the classroom.
While he has coached more than 105 All-America selections, including 47 first-team choices, and has numerous former players competing on the PGA Tour, overseas and on mini-tours, Holder sees to it that his players excel in the classroom as well.
During his tenure, OSU has produced three Ben Hogan Award winners, which is based on academic and athletic excellence nationwide. Kevin Wentworth earned the honor in 1990, Trip Kuehne claimed the prestigious award in 1995 and Hunter Mahan was named last 2003's recipient.
Only 14 times since 1984 has a golfer been named first-team athletic All-America and academic All-America in the same season, and nine of those times that player was from Oklahoma State. Holder has had 20 Academic All-America selections since the inception of that honor in 1984 as well as countless academic All-Big Eight and Big Twelve selections.
The five regulars on his 1994 and 1995 teams all earned All-America honors and Academic All-Big Eight honors during both seasons, giving a new definition to the term "student-athlete."
Holder is only the second golf coach that Oklahoma State has ever known. Labron Harris coached the team from 1947 to '73 and won 24 league titles and the 1963 NCAA Championship during his 27 years. Holder has now won 24 league crowns and eight national championships in his first 30 seasons.
Since a fifth-place national finish in his inaugural season, Holder's teams have finished lower than fourth at the NCAA Tournament just six times, including a string of 13 first- or second-place finishes in 14 years from 1975-88. OSU has placed first or second at the national tournament in 18 of 30 seasons under his guidance, and his players have won 22 conference individual titles in addition to five NCAA individual crowns.
Over the last 31 seasons, Oklahoma State has entered 434 tournaments and won 171 titles for a 39.4 winning percentage. OSU has also posted 98 runner-up finishes, which means that OSU has placed either first or second in 62 percent of its tournaments.
As a member of the OSU golf team from 1968 to '70, Holder earned honorable mention All-America honors as a sophomore and third-team status after his junior and senior seasons. In 1970, Holder captured Big Eight medalist honors while leading the Cowboys to the team league title.
After graduating in 1970 with a degree in marketing, Holder earned his MBA at OSU in 1973 and then assumed control of the Cowboy golf program.
The well-respected coach was a member of the seven-person NCAA Golf Committee from 1992 to 1998.
Mike Holder is one of 5 coaches all-time, regardless of sport, to have won national championships in four different decades.
Three times Holder has had individual champions in the same year as the NCAA Team Title: 1978 - 1987 -2000.
