USC Men’s Golf Team Welcomes In New Head Coach With Impressive Resume

There's a new sheriff in town.

Your USC Trojans men's golf program is bringing in an experienced new head coach to replace the departed J.T. Higgins. Higgins stepped down after his third season with USC in 2022-23 ended in disappointment. 

The former NCAA champ with Texas A&M unfortunately couldn't replicate his magic with that program in southern California, though he did help USC win an NCAA Regional Championship during his first season with the team, 2020-21. As a team, the Trojans didn't qualify for the NCAA regionals in either of the club's subsequent two seasons under Higgins. USC placed a lowly 10th during last May's Pac-12 Championships. 

Brentley Romine of The Golf Channel reports that former Missouri co-head golf coach Mark Hankins is the new man with the plan for the Trojans. He had been installed at Missouri two seasons ago to eventually replace longtime Tigers head coach Mark Leroux for the 2023-24 season, but apparently USC made him an offer he couldn't refuse. 

Hankins was previously also a head coach at Nebraska, Iowa, Texas-Arlington and Michigan State. He helped MSU win two Big Ten championships before leading the Hawkeyes to six NCAA regional berths.

Sophomore Mahanth Chirravuri, generally considered a top-five recruit last summer, is expected to be the biggest returning name for the Trojans this season.