Chris Haack was named the Georgia men's golf coach on July 18,1996 -- and he not only has sustained the Bulldogs' lofty standards but he has pushed them to a new level.

Entering his 11th season as Georgia's coach, Haack has guided the Bulldogs to two national championships (the first ones in school history), five Southeastern Conference crowns, 28 total team victories, and several team and individual records. Many of his players have been honored nationally and by the SEC for their efforts on the course, in the classroom and in the community.

In 2005-06, Haack led the Bulldogs to a school-record-tying six tournament wins -- the Ping/Golfweek Preview, the Isleworth Invitational, the Hooters Match Play Championship, the Puerto Rico Classic, the SEC Championship and the Linger Longer Invitational. All five players at the NCAA Championship garnered All-America honors, led by First-Team choice Chris Kirk. Haack was chosen as the SEC Coach of the Year, his third such designation, and his program also produced the SEC¹s Player of the Year (Kirk) and the Freshman of the Year (Brian Harman).

Haack was selected by the Golf Coaches Association of America as the 2006 head coach for the United Palmer Cup Team. He also coached the 2002 squad and is the only man to guide the Americans twice.

The Bulldogs won three tournaments in 2004-05 -- including the most memorable one in the spring. Georgia posted back-to-back wins at the Isleworth Invitational and the Carpet Capital Collegiate in the fall, then finished no worse than fifth the rest of the fall and spring. Georgia capped the season with a wire-to-wire win at the NCAAs. The Bulldogs set the tone in the first round by bolting to a 5-shot lead, then ultimately topped instate rival Georgia Tech by 11 shots.

Haack was chosen as the Eaton/Golf Pride National Coach of the Year as well as the Southeast Regional Coach of the Year. Haack¹s 2003-04 Bulldogs won the SEC title, with four golfers placing in the top 20 at the SECs, including medalist and SEC Freshman of the Year Brendon Todd.

Haack's 2002-03 Bulldogs finished 16th at the NCAA Championship and third at the SECs, but cracked the win column at the Tennessee Tournament of Champions.

Though his 2001-02 Bulldogs did not win a tournament, Haack still was recognized as one of the nation's top coaches. He was chosen as coach for Team USA for the Palmer Cup.

Haack's 2000-01 Bulldogs won six events, including a school-record four straight, and finished the season ranked No. 1 in the nation. At the Golf World Invitational, Georgia set school records for the lowest round (20-under 268) and the lowest tournament total (42-under 822) as well as the two lowest individual scores in school history (Ryan Hybl at 15-under 201 and Erik Compton at 14-under 202).

Haack's 1999-2000 Bulldogs won three tournaments and he earned SEC Coach of the Year honors.

Haack's breakthrough season with the Bulldogs came in 1998-99. No Georgia team had ever ascended to the No. 1 spot in the polls, but Haack's team did so early in the spring campaign. The Bulldogs later validated their No. 1 ranking by winning the program¹s first national championship. Haack was named National Coach of the Year by Golfweek/Sagarin.

In 1997-98, Haack¹s second season, Georgia burst back onto the national scene, winning four tournaments, including its first SEC crown since 1988. Haack guided the Bulldogs to 11 straight top-5 finishes and their first NCAAs berth and top-5 ranking since 1991.

Haack's first Georgia squad in 1997 showed glimpses of what lay ahead as the youthful Bulldogs finished fourth or better in seven of 11 events and advanced to the NCAA Regional.

Before being named Georgia¹s coach, Haack was a driving force for the American Junior Golf Association. He joined the AJGA in 1981 as a tournament director before becoming director of operations in 1984 and director of development in 1985. He also served a seven-year stint as captain of the West Canon Cup Team, squads that included Tiger Woods and Chris Riley. In an initiative begun as foundation director from 1988-90, he also organized and established fund-raising programs to build surplus moneys for the AJGA's perpetuity, bringing in more than $750,000 for the foundation and other junior programs.

Haack served as assistant executive director from 1990-96, helping manage a staff of 22 and an annual budget of $2.5 million. Additionally, he helped oversee the running of 38 events and 19 qualifiers nationwide.

The recipient of the AJGA Sportsmanship Award, Haack graduated from Newnan High School in 1978. He attended West Georgia College, where he played on the golf team, and he received his degree from Mellen.

Haack and his wife, Victoria, have a son, Charlie, and a daughter, Katie.