Longtime Cal women’s golf head coach Nancy McDaniel has died

Nancy McDaniel, longtime women’s golf coach at Cal died on Wednesday from cancer. She was 57. Her former player and current Stanford women’s golf coach Anne Walker confirmed her death.

A Portland, Oregon, native and former star golfer at University of Washington, McDaniel retired from her position at Cal earlier this year after 29 seasons as the founding head coach of the women’s golf program. Since answering an ad she read in a golf magazine to be the first women’s golf coach at Cal, McDaniel helped turn the team, which debuted in 1995-96,  into one of the most nationally regarded programs. Under her leadership, Cal has consistently been ranked in the top 25 nationally as she led the Golden Bears to 10 NCAA Championship appearances, 22 NCAA regional appearances, the 2003 Pac-10 Championship and the 2012 Pac-12 Championship.

“We have a saying at Cal that team stands for Together Everyone Achieves More,” McDaniel routinely would say.

McDaniel had a post-playing career defined by excellence and was showered with numerous accolades. She was named National Golf Coaches Association (NGCA) Coach of the Year, the LPGA Teaching and Club Professional Coach of the Year and Golfweek magazine’s Coach of the Year.

“I am forever thankful that Cal took a chance on me 29 years ago as it led to a dream career. Having the ability to use golf, a sport that I absolutely love, as a vehicle in mentoring young women both competitively and personally has been profound,” McDaniel said when she stepped down from her post. “The joy comes from watching them step into greatness in all parts of their life and creating relationships with them that last a lifetime. I want to thank my associate head coach and dear friend Bev Terry for always handling our players with positivity, care and compassion, and for supporting me through these last eight years together.”

Cal women’s golf coach Nancy McDaniel talks with her Golded Bears players. (Cal athletics)

Beginning at age eight, McDaniel’s parents began dropping her off at Waverley Country Club, and she went on to Washington from 1984-88 where she was team captain, an All American and earned Pac-10 All-Decade Team honors. She played professionally for five years before becoming the founding coach of Cal’s women’s golf team. Her husband, Jay, is the head golf professional at Claremont Country Club and served as the team’s longtime volunteer assistant coach. “I volunteered him for the last 29 years,”…