Michael Beard (’02), head coach of Pepperdine University’s men’s golf team, has received
the West Coast Conference (WCC) Coach of the Year for the seventh time. The honor
comes on the heels of Pepperdine’s 24th WCC championship title on May 3, as the Waves
continue to set an elite standard in collegiate golf.
“What drives me as a coach is always trying to bring my team to the next level of
excellence,” says Beard. “My work is all about these golfers, and I’m always looking
to develop their talents. It’s a privilege to coach at a University that continues
to make such an impact on my life and the lives of many others.”
Adding to an already illustrious coaching career, Beard previously earned WCC Coach
of the Year honors in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2022. He is the only WCC men’s
golf coach to earn the award in as many as three consecutive seasons. Beard also served
as head coach of the 2021 NCAA champions and was named National Coach of the Year
in 2020.
Beard’s coaching philosophy is anchored in a genuine investment of each player as
an individual while creating a supportive team culture. And the results speak for
themselves. Currently four Pepperdine men’s golf alumni—Joe Highsmith, William Mouw,
Andrew Putnam (’11), and Sahith Theegala (’20)—have earned the highly coveted PGA tour card and are competing at the sport’s most elite tier, retaining their PGA tour status
throughout the season.
Coach Beard on the green
“My players matter as people,” Beard contends. “I’m grateful for every player that
has been and is currently on my team, and I try to always have an awareness of what
is going on with all my players so I can know when to coach them from a life perspective.”
Two other Pepperdine players, Mahanth Chirravuri (’26)—WCC Player of the Year 2026—and
Brady Siravo (’26)—winner of the Sahalee Players championship 2025—are set to enter
the professional stage in June. Both golfers consider Beard’s mentorship to have contributed
to their success.
“A coach and players have to be able to trust each other in order to actually get
anywhere with golf,” says Siravo. “I’ve felt that Coach Beard really understands that.
From the minute I started here as a first-year he established the fact that he was
here for me, and that he was also going to tell me where I needed to improve. He really
cares about each person on his team.”
A Pepperdine alumnus who married his college sweetheart, Beard views his 14-year tenure
with the men’s golf program as far more than a career. Each day presents an opportunity
to help elevate a program he considers as home. A former Wave golfer from 1999 to
2002, Beard went on to compete professionally for several years before returning to
his alma mater as a coach.
“Michael has built one of the premier programs in collegiate golf through an unwavering
commitment to excellence, authenticity, and the development of young men both on and
off the course,” says Tanner Gardner, director of athletics at Pepperdine University.
“What makes Michael truly special is the way he leads with humility and invests deeply
in his student-athletes as people first. This seventh WCC Coach of the Year honor
is a reflection not only of sustained competitive success, but of the character, and
championship standard he has established at Pepperdine.”
As the Waves tee up for the NCAA Division 1 championship on May 29, with Beard at
the helm, the program is certainly poised for greatness.
Learn more about Pepperdine men’s golf.