Women's Golf
- Title:
- Head Coach
- Email:
- golf.women@umich.edu
- Phone:
- (734) 615-6928
Jan Dowling enters her 13th season as head coach of the University of Michigan women's golf program, having transformed the Wolverines into one of the Big Ten's premier teams and a consistent national contender.
Since being named the fifth head coach in program history in 2013, Dowling has guided Michigan to four of its five NCAA Finals appearances and eight NCAA postseason invitations overall. In 19 years as a collegiate coach, she has accumulated 15 NCAA appearances across five programs -- Kent State (2), Duke (1), Florida (3), Tennessee (1) and Michigan (8) -- including seven trips to the NCAA Finals.
Under Dowling, Michigan has reached NCAA Regionals in 2016, '17, '21, '22, '23 and '24, and earned individual berths for Ashley Lau (2019) and Mara Janess (2025). Each of U-M's six team appearances advanced to the NCAA Finals, highlighted by a program-best 16th-place finish in 2017, along with additional top-20 national results in 2016 (T-18th) and back-to-back 20th-place efforts in 2021 and 2022 at Grayhawk Golf Club.
Dowling's teams have excelled on the conference stage as well. Following a runner-up finish at the 2021 Big Ten Championships, the Wolverines captured the first Big Ten team title in program history in 2022, led by champion Monet Chun (205, -8). Chun, the 2021 Big Ten Freshman of the Year, claimed her second conference crown in 2024, joining just 11 others in league history as multiple winners. Elodie Van Dievoet started the trend with Michigan's first-ever Big Ten individual title in 2017 (210, -6).
The 2021-22 season remains one of the finest in program history. Michigan earned three team titles and three runner-up finishes in nine events, then captured the Big Ten Championship and advanced through its own NCAA Regional at U-M Golf Course to a second straight NCAA Finals. Dowling was honored as the 2022 Big Ten Coach of the Year, while Lau became the Wolverines' first-ever Big Ten Golfer of the Year and Mary Fossum Award recipient after setting a school-record 71.84 scoring average. That season produced four All-Big Ten honorees -- Lau and Hailey Borja (first team), Chun and Mikaela Schulz (Second Team).
During Dowling's tenure, the Wolverines have captured seven team titles, produced 13 medalists, and amassed 16 All-Big Ten honors by eight different players. Hailey Borja became the first golfer in conference history to earn five career All-Big Ten selections (four second team, one first team in 2022). Lau (2021, '22) and Chun (2021, '24) are Michigan's only two-time first team recipients. Other All-Big Ten selections include Grace Choi (2016, first), Ashley Kim (2020, first), Catherine Peters (2016, second), Van Dievoet (2017, first), and Schulz (2022, second).
In the classroom, Dowling's teams have been models of academic consistency, earning the Division I Academic Progress Rate (APR) Public Recognition Award for 10 straight seasons and a perfect Graduation Success Rate every year of her tenure. She has coached 19 WGCA All-America Scholars, including four-time recipients Megan Kim and Mikaela Schulz, and produced 11 Big Ten Distinguished Scholars and 61 Academic All-Big Ten honorees -- with Borja and Schulz each collecting four.
Before arriving in Ann Arbor, Dowling served as an assistant at Tennessee (2012-13) under Judi Pavon, following three seasons as head coach at Florida (2009-12). She led the Gators to three consecutive NCAA Regionals and two NCAA Finals (t-10th in 2011; 12th in 2012). Her earlier stops included an assistant role at Duke (2008-09), helping the Blue Devils to sixth at the NCAA Finals, and a return to her alma mater Kent State (2006-08) as assistant coach for both the men's and women's teams -- culminating in a men's program-best sixth-place NCAA finish.
As a professional, Dowling competed on the Futures Tour and BMO Canadian Women's Tour, earning six top-10 finishes and qualifying for the 2005 LPGA Canadian Women's Open. A decorated amateur, she won the 2000 Canadian Women's Amateur, was named SCORE Golf Canadian Female Amateur of the Year, and represented Canada at the 2002 World Amateur Team Championship.
At Kent State, Dowling was part of the program's inaugural women's team (1998-2002), capturing five individual titles and leading the Flashes to four MAC Championships. A four-time All-MAC First-Team pick, she was the 1999 MAC Freshman of the Year, 2000 MAC Player of the Year, and a two-time conference champion (1999, 2000).
Off the course, she excelled academically, earning Academic All-MAC honors three times, NGCA All-Scholar Athlete distinction, and ESPN Academic All-District IV recognition. She was voted Kent State Woman of the Year (2002) and received the Janet Bachna Award as Female Athlete of the Year. Dowling became the first women's golfer inducted into the Kent State Varsity “K” Athletics Hall of Fame in 2008.
Dowling has also represented Michigan and international golf on the coaching stage. She served as assistant coach for the International Team at the 2018 Arnold Palmer Cup (Evian Resort GC, France) and returned as head coach in 2019 (Alotian Club, Arkansas), leading the Internationals to a 33.5-26.5 victory.
An accomplished instructor, Dowling holds Titleist Performance Institute Golf Fitness Level I and TrackMan Level 1 certifications and previously served as a PGA of America Level II Apprentice. She regained her amateur status through the USGA and continues to compete in state and national events.
A native of Bradford, Ontario, Dowling earned her bachelor's degree in leisure studies from Kent State in 2002. She and her husband, Thien Nguyen, reside in Ann Arbor with their son, Simon.
The Jan Dowling File
Born: September 26, 1980
Hometown: Bradford, Ontario, Canada
High School: Bradford District High School, 1999
College: Kent State University, 2002
Degree: Leisure Studies
Family: husband: Thien (Nguyen)
Children: son: Simon
Coaching Record
| Year | College | Position | Conference | Regional | NCAA/Match Play |
| 2008-09 | Kent State | Assistant Coach | 1st (MAC) | 10th | -- |
| 2007-08 | Kent State | Assistant Coach | 1st (MAC) | 14th | -- |
| 2008-09 | Duke | Assistant Coach | 3rd (ACC) | t-6th | 6th |
| 2009-10 | Florida | Head Coach | 10th (SEC) | 11th | -- |
| 2010-11 | Florida | Head Coach | 9th (SEC) | 7th | t-10th |
| 2011-12 | Florida | Head Coach | 4th (SEC) | 4th | 12th |
| 2012-13 | Tennessee | Assistant Coach | 9th (SEC) | 9th | -- |
| 2013-14 | Michigan | Head Coach | 11th (B1G) | -- | -- |
| 2014-15 | Michigan | Head Coach | 5th (B1G) | -- | -- |
| 2015-16 | Michigan | Head Coach | 6th (B1G) | 6th | t-18th |
| 2016-17 | Michigan | Head Coach | 5th (B1G) | 6th | t-16th |
| 2017-18 | Michigan | Head Coach | 7th (B1G) | -- | -- |
| 2018-19 | Michigan | Head Coach | 7th (B1G) | individual (Lau) | -- |
| 2019-20 | Michigan | Head Coach | canceled (C-19) | canceled (C-19) | canceled (C-19) |
| 2020-21 | Michigan | Head Coach | t-2nd (B1G) | t-5th | 20th |
| 2021-22 | Michigan | Head Coach | 1st (B1G) | t-3rd | 20th |
| 2022-23 | Michigan | Head Coach | t-6th (B1G) | 9th | -- |
| 2023-24 | Michigan | Head Coach | t-4th | 9th | -- |
| 2024-25 | Michigan | Head Coach | 8th | individual (Janess) | -- |
| 2025-26 | Michigan | Head Coach |
NCAA Championships
NCAA Finals (7): 2009, '11, '12, '16, '17, '21, '22
Team Regional (13): 2007, '08, '09, '10, '11, '12, '13, '16, '17, '21, '22, '23, '24
Individual Regional (2): 2019 (Ashley Lau), 2025 (Mara Janess)
Conference Championships
Mid-American (2): 2007, '08
Big Ten (1): 2022 -- first in program history
Women's Golf Coaches Association All-American
Elodie Van Dievoet: 2017 (2nd) -- first in program history
Ashley Lau: 2021 (HM), 2022 (1st) -- first, first team selection in program history
Monet Chun: 2024 (HM)
Women's Golf Coaches Association All-American Scholar
Grace Choi: 2015, '16, '17
Monet Chun: 2021
Anika Dy: 2020, '22, '23
Hannah Ghelfi: 2020
Mara Janess: 2024, '25
Megan Kim: 2015, '16, '17, '18
Kathy Lim: 2017, '18
Mikaela Schulz: 2020, '21, '22, '23
Alisa Snyder: 2017
Sydney Sung: 2024
Sidney Yermish: 2024
All-Big Ten
Hailey Borja: 2020 (2nd), 2021 (2nd), 2022 (1st), 2023 (2nd), 2024 (2nd)
Grace Choi: 2016 (1st)
Monet Chun: 2021 (1st), 2022 (2nd), 2023 (2nd), 2024 (1st)
Ashley Kim: 2020 (1st)
Ashley Lau: 2021 (1st), 2022 (1st)
Catherine Peters: 2016 (2nd)
Mikaela Schulz: 2022 (2nd)
Elodie Van Dievoet: 2017 (1st)
Big Ten Coach of the Year
Jan Dowling: 2022
Big Ten Golfer of the Year
Ashley Lau: 2022 -- first in program history
Monet Chun: 2024
Big Ten Freshman of the Year
Monet Chun: 2021
Big Ten Championship Medalist
Elodie Van Dievoet: 2017 (210, -6) -- first in program history
Monet Chun: 2022 (205, -8)
Monet Chun: 2024 (209, -7)
Big Ten's Mary Fossum Award (lowest average)
Ashley Lau: 2022 (71.84)
Monet Chun: 2024 (71.97)
Big Ten Distinguish Scholar
Grace Choi: 2015, '16, '17
Monet Chun: 2024
Hannah Ghelfi: 2020
Mara Janess: 2024, '25
Megan Kim: 2017, '18
Ashley Lau: 2022
Kathy Lim: 2018
Mikaela Schulz: 2021, '22, '23, '24
Sophia Trombetta: 2021
Academic All-Big Ten
Hailey Borja: 2021, '22, '23, '24
Grace Choi: 2015, '16, '17
Monet Chun: 2022, '23, '24
Anika Dy: 2021, '22, '23
Hannah Ghelfi: 2018, '19, '20
Lauren Grogan: 2014, '15
Mara Janess: 2024, '25
Ashley Kim: 2019, '20, '21
Megan Kim: 2016, '17, '18
Ashley Lau: 2020, '21, '22
Yugene Lee: 2014
Kathy Lim: 2016, '17, '18
Emilie Paltrinieri: 2024
Catherine Peters: 2014, '15, '16
Chelsea Pezzola: 2014
Mikael Schulz: 2021, '22, '23, '24
Alyssa Shimel: 2014
Jenna Shilts: 2025
Alisa Snyder: 2018, '19, '20
Lauren Sung: 2024, '25
Sydney Sung: 2024, '25
Sophia Trombetta: 2020, '21, '22
Elodie Van Dievoet: 2019
Grace Wang: 2025
Alicia Weber: 2014
Emily White: 2018
Jacqueline Young: 2020, '21, '22
