Moseley built Kennesaw State program into national prominence
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Jay Moseley will take the reins of Ohio State Men’s Golf, becoming the program’s 11th head coach, announced by Martin Jarmond, executive associate athletics director and men’s golf administrator, on Thursday, July 9.
“Our national search brought strong interest from across the country, but Jay Moseley proved throughout the process that he was the top choice,” Jarmond said. “He is a proven leader and educator. I have no doubt that Jay will develop our young men academically, athletically and socially while competing for championships as our men’s golf coach.”
“I am humbled and honored to be named as Men’s Golf Coach at The Ohio State University,” Moseley said. “I want to first thank the administration at Kennesaw State and athletics director Vaughn Williams for providing me an opportunity to be a head coach for the past six years. I also need to thank my players for all they have meant to me personally. I am so proud of each one of them.
Finally, I would like to thank Martin Jarmond, Gene Smith and the entire search committee that assisted during this process for entrusting me as the next leader for Ohio State Men’s Golf. This is a special place and I am proud to be a part of Buckeye Nation.”
During the last six years, Moseley lifted Kennesaw State University to new heights unreached prior to his arrival. Moseley guided the Owls to five consecutive NCAA Regional appearances and a pair of trips to the NCAA Championships. Taking over a program which had never advanced to postseason play, Moseley steered the Owls to the 2011 NCAA Championships in just his second season at the helm.
Moseley added another program `first’ this past season, guiding Kennesaw State into the GCAA Top-25 Poll for the first time ever and concluded the year ranked No. 27 nationally. The team’s ascension into the national Top-25 came on the strength of tournament titles at the Rees Jones Invitational (Sept. 21-23) and Pinetree Intercollegiate (Oct. 20-21) accompanied by second-place showings at the Jones Invitational (Feb. 23-24) and the Atlantic Sun Conference Championships (Apr. 19-21). In total, Moseley’s teams captured 13 tournament crowns during his time in Georgia.
Moseley’s charges finished in the top-30 nationally in 2011 and 2014, placing 26th at both NCAA Championships. The 2014 Owls claimed runner-up honors at the NCAA Auburn Regional to earn their spot in the nation’s final 30 teams vying for a national title. Moseley’s first campaign at Kennesaw State also included participation in NCAA action as then-sophomore Jeff Karlsson qualified for the 2010 NCAA Southeast Regional as an individual.
In addition to unprecedented team success achieved under the direction of Moseley, Kennesaw State brought home a heap of individual hardware as well. Since 2009-10, Owl golfers have been tabbed the Atlantic Sun Conference (A-Sun) Golfer of the Year twice, A-Sun Scholar-Athlete of the Year thrice, All-Southeast Region selections six times, All-A-Sun performers 14 times and Karlsson gathered Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) All-America Second Team honors in 2011. Moseley received direct recognition in ’11 as well, named the A-Sun Coach of the Year.
In six conference tournaments, Kennesaw State finished no worse than third place en route to three runner-up efforts and the first Atlantic Sun conference crown (2011) in team history.
Academic accolades also rolled in for Moseley’s pupils, highlighted by Ben Greene and Peder Lunde Hermansson becoming the Owls’ first Academic All-America recipients (2013). The KSU pair completed their academic careers with 4.0 grade-point averages, and Greene was the first of three Owls named A-Sun Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year under Moseley. Overall during the Moseley Era, eight Kennesaw State student-athletes were placed on the All-America Scholar Team and nine tabbed A-Sun All-Academic squad.
His program corralled NCAA Multi-Year APR Special Recognition with a perfect score of 1000. The Owls maintained a team GPA above 3.0 all six years of Moseley’s tenure and exceeded 3.5 in both 2012 and 2013 to garner GCAA President’s Special Recognition Academic Awards.
Moseley’s recruiting prowess is evidenced by five A-Sun All-Freshman Team members and the 2014 A-Sun Freshman of the Year, Teremoana Beaucousin.
Prior to taking over the Kennesaw State program as a 24-year old, Moseley spent six years at Auburn University. The four-year letterwinner and three-year captain played for the Tigers from 2004-08 before serving as a graduate assistant for the 2008-09 season.
Moseley competed in 42 events during his career and still holds the all-time Auburn record for lowest 36-hole score (132, -12) at the 2006 John Burns Intercollegiate. His 14-under 202 54-hole total in the event was also an all-time mark at the time and is currently ranked third in Tiger lore.
He enjoyed his finest collegiate season in 2007-08, picking up Golfweek All-America Third Team and First Team All-Southeastern Conference laurels. His 71.83 stroke average that season ranks as the eighth-best in Auburn history, racking up 18 sub-par rounds (second-most) along the way. Moseley secured his second All-America Scholar recognition (2007, 2008) as well.
Moseley became the first-ever golfer to win the prestigious Cliff Hare Award, presented annually to an Auburn student-athlete who excels in athletic and scholarship achievement as well as showing a great degree of leadership, integrity and courage. He received a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s degree in higher education administration with a sports management minor.
He and his wife, Kelly, welcomed their first child, James Brown Moseley III, also known as Tripp, on June 2, 2015.
WHAT THEY ARE SAYING ABOUT MOSELEY
“Kennesaw State was very fortunate to have hired a coach who brought the program to national prominence as a top-25 team and perennial postseason competitor. Jay carries himself as a true leader and he proves it in the classroom, in the realm of competition and by the character of student-athletes he welcomes into his program.”
–Vaughn Williams – Kennesaw State University athletics director
“Ohio State made the best hire in the country. I believe Jay is one of the greatest young coaches in college golf. He is an incredible man, not just coach, and I truly expect great things from him as a Buckeye.”
–Jay Seawell – University of Alabama head men’s golf coach (2013 & 2014 NCAA National Champions)
“As a student-athlete and a young man, every coach deserves the opportunity to have coached at least one `Jay Moseley’ in their career. Jay is a uniquely special individual. Not just as a golfer or coach. He’s a special person. The more you’re around him, the more you see it. I applaud Ohio State for finding a man who will bring more to the program than just golf.”
–Mike Griffin – Auburn University head coach from 1984-2009, NCAA Hall of Famer (2000) and four-time SEC Coach of the Year.
“As a search committee, we were immediately impressed with Jay. Outstanding high school golfers will be impressed with him as well. Former players are anxious to meet Jay and help him take Ohio State golf to the top. After great success at Kennesaw State, the potential at OSU is unlimited.”
–Ralph Guarasci – member of the 1979 NCAA Championship team, First Team All-American and OSU Athletics Hall of Famer.
“Jay is very enthusiastic about the game of golf and mentoring his players. His energy is contagious and the guys are going to grow through him. Jay has already had unquestioned success and is going to do very well with his opportunity here at Ohio State.”
–Therese Hession – Ohio State University head women’s golf coach and 2015 OSU Athletics Hall of Fame inductee.
“Jay is a great young coach that has proven his ability to get his teams to the NCAA Regionals and Finals on a consistent basis. He is personable, was a great collegiate golfer himself and relates well to his players. Ohio State will be very happy with the leadership that this young man will provide for the Buckeye men’s golf program.”
–Mark Hankins – University of Iowa assistant to the athletic director, former head men’s golf coach and former president of the Golf Coaches Association of America
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