Career Highlights
- Entering 8th Season as Head Coach
- 2026 MSC Women’s Coach of the Year
- 3x NAIA National Championship Team Appearance
- 2026 NAIA Women’s Golf National Championship Top-5 Finish
- 2026 MSC Women’s Freshman of the Year (Jasmine Points)
- Coached 10 All-Conference selections during the 2025-26 season
- Coached 7 MSC Golfer of the Week honorees during the 2025-26 season
- Guided the men’s golf team back to the NAIA National Championship for the first time since 2022
- Multiple Team Tournament Championships at Cumberlands
- Former 3x NAIA All-American and MSC Player of the Year at Cumberlands
Aaron Watkins is entering his eighth season as the Head Men's and Women's Golf Coach after being hired in July 2019.
During the 2025-26 season, Watkins guided the women’s golf team to another standout campaign, highlighted by a fifth-place finish at the NAIA National Championship, the program’s first top-five national finish since 2019. The Patriots recorded multiple tournament victories throughout the season and finished the year with four golfers ranked inside the NAIA top-105, led by Atchariya Thanaudomkul (#35), Jasmine Points (#53), and Ainslee Cruce (#54). UC also produced four MSC First Team All-Conference selections on the women’s side, including MSC Freshman of the Year Jasmine Points. At the NAIA National Championship, Thanaudomkul and Points each earned All-Tournament Team honors with top-15 finishes.
The women’s squad earned three MSC Golfer of the Week honors during the season, with Cruce collecting two awards and Thanaudomkul adding another. The Patriots also excelled academically with seven MSC Academic All-Conference selections, multiple NAIA Scholar-Athletes, and Champion of Character recognition for Ginevra Capo.
On the men’s side, Watkins led the Patriots back to the NAIA National Championship for the first time since 2022. The team recorded several top-five tournament finishes throughout the season and featured five golfers ranked inside the top-250 nationally. Pedro Morgado led the way at No. 76 nationally after earning MSC Golfer of the Week honors late in the spring season. The Patriots also claimed five All-Conference selections, highlighted by Alexei Butchart earning MSC First Team All-Conference accolades.
UC golfers captured four MSC Golfer of the Week awards on the men’s side, including honors for Theo Andersson, Saran Jantratit, Eli Fischer, and Morgado. The men’s program also posted strong academic success with numerous MSC Academic All-Conference honorees and NAIA Scholar-Athletes.
During his second season with the women's team, Watkins led UC to both an MSC regular season and tournament championship. On the season, the Patriots took first place in six tournaments while notching two second-place finishes.
In his first season for the women's program, Watkins guided the Patriots to five tournament victories, one second-place finish, and one fourth-place finish. The team won the MSC Fall Invite, the only conference tournament of the season. UC also claimed four individual tournament titles. Four golfers finished the season ranked inside the top-100 nationally, with Carlee Shoemaker and Lucia Pena finishing inside the top-25. In the final NAIA poll of the season, UC ranked sixth nationally.
During Watkins' first two seasons with the men's team, the Patriots recorded five top-three finishes, including a victory at the Union College Spring Collegiate. During the 2020-21 season, Watkins helped UC secure multiple All-Conference nominations while two golfers finished inside the NAIA top-150 rankings.
The UC Hall of Famer returned to Williamsburg after an impressive playing career at Cumberlands where he later served as a Graduate Assistant.
Watkins remains one of the most decorated golfers in UC history, finishing his career as a three-time NAIA All-American as well as a three-time Ping/GCAA All-American. During his senior season, Watkins garnered Mid-South Conference Player of the Year honors and was a three-time MSC All-Conference selection. Watkins finished his UC career playing in 83 rounds while posting a 73.56 scoring average with eight wins, six runner-up finishes, and 20 top-five finishes.
After graduation, Watkins played professional golf for two years before returning to UC as a Graduate Assistant for the 2015-16 season. During that year, the Patriots women’s golf team posted a fourth-place finish at the NAIA National Championship, the highest in school history at the time, while the men's team placed ninth nationally.
Watkins holds a Master of Business Administration and a Master of Arts in Christian Studies.
