This Power 5 women’s college golf coach made the NCAA Regionals every year — and was just let go
Tennessee athletics announced on Monday that it will not renew the contract of women’s golf coach Judi Pavon.
Pavon’s current contract is set to expire on June 30. It will bring an end to her 21-year career as coach of the Lady Vols. She’s the second-longest tenured head coach at Tennessee, trailing Lisa Glenn, who has guided the rowing team since 1998.
“On behalf of Tennessee Athletics, I want to thank Coach Pavon for her more than two decades of service to the golf program and to the university,” Tennessee athletic director Danny White said in a school release Monday. “Her teams consistently represented the university with class while excelling academically. As her contract approaches its full term, we have decided to pursue new leadership to build on the very solid foundation she has established. Thanks to Judi’s efforts, our next head coach will step into a great position.”
The season ended May 12 for the Lady Vols after the third round of the Louisville Regional. They missed the cut line by three strokes.
“I’m grateful for the 24 years I spent at Tennessee and especially for the young ladies I have been privileged to coach,” Pavon said. “I’ve tried my best to make it all about those young women — working every day to help them become stronger students, better golfers and excellent teammates. I’m proud of everything we accomplished together, and I’ll always support the Tennessee golf program any way I can.”
Baylor head coach, Jay Goble, and Tennessee head coach, Judi Pavon along with NCAA committee chair, Peter Fields make their match play picks at the 2015 Women’s NCAA Championship at The Concession in Bradenton, Fla.
Pavon was earning an annual salary of $135,000 in 2020, according to UT’s salary database. Her husband, Luis Pavon, served as volunteer assistant coach the past six seasons.
It will be White’s second hire since becoming AD in January and the first UT coach he has not retained. White hired football coach Josh Heupel six days on the job.
Pavon was named the interim head coach in 1999 after serving as an assistant coach for three seasons. The interim label was removed in 2000. She led Tennessee to a fifth-place spot in the 2000 NCAA Tournament, leading to the removal of her interim tag.
She’s compiled a 2,211-1,411-38 overall record during her time in Knoxville, which is a program record. She also holds the coaching record for most tournament team titles with 22.
Tennessee made the cut for the NCAA Regionals in each of her 21 seasons, advancing to the NCAA Championship as a team 11 times. She also coached 25 individual All-American selections.
