COLLEGE STATION, Texas – GCAA Hall of Fame and 2009 NCAA Champion men's golf head coach J.T. Higgins has stepped down at Texas A&M and accepted the head coach position at the University of Southern California.
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Texas A&M Director of Athletics Ross Bjork announced that assistant coach Brian Kortan, who is entering his eighth year with the program, would serve as interim head coach for the 2020-21 season. Bjork will conduct a national search in the spring of 2021.
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"The decision to leave Texas A&M was the most difficult of my life," said Higgins, who had coached the Aggies since the 2001-02 season. "While together we have built one of the elite programs in all of college golf, it is the people I will miss the most - friends, players and co-workers. Everyone contributed to the success of this team and I am forever grateful. I have been given the opportunity to return to my hometown of Los Angeles and coach at The University of Southern California. It is the only school in the country that could draw me away from the school I love, Texas A&M. I am a proud Aggie Dad, with all three of my children now former students, and after 19 years in College Station, I will always consider myself an Aggie.Â
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"I am so proud of what we built here: the obvious are the incredible practice facilities and hardware in the trophy cases, but more subtle, I believe this golf program played a big role in Bryan-College Station becoming one of the best golf communities in the State of Texas. At least I hope we were part of it and I hope that we have brought a sense of pride to our university and community.Â
"We have a saying on our team, 'leave it better than you found it.' I think I can safely say that Aggie Golf has never been better. This year's team is one of the best in the country, great recruits are committed for the future and the team is in great hands with Coach Kortan at the helm. I will miss all of you but I leave with a full, grateful heart and a head full of great memories of my time in Aggieland. Thank you for letting me lead your golf program the last two decades, it has been my greatest honor."
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Texas A&M Director of Athletics Ross Bjork said, "I have truly enjoyed getting to know Coach Higgins during my time in Aggieland and have come to appreciate all that he has accomplished for our program and the relationships he has built over the last 20 years here at Texas A&M. We did everything we could to keep him and if Texas A&M was in California, we believe Coach Higgins would stay an Aggie, but we understand the personal draw to return to California and take over another great program. J.T. and his family will always be Aggies and we wish him the best at USC.
"Coach Brian Kortan will serve as the interim head coach for 2020-21 and we will conduct a national search in the spring of 2021."
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A capsule of Higgins' 19 seasons at Texas A&M includes:
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About Texas A&M Athletics | Home of the 12th Man:
One of the most successful Athletics Departments in the nation, Texas A&M ranked No. 15 in the 2018-19 Learfield IMG College Directors' Cup standings and is one of eight Division I institutions nationally to finish in the top 20 of the prestigious ranking of athletics success for at least 13 consecutive years. For more information, go to www.12thMan.com.
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About Texas A&M University:
Texas A&M University, the flagship university within the Texas A&M University System, is a tier-one research institution with nearly $1 billion in research grants and more than 69,000 students. The President of Texas A&M University has strategic oversight for campuses in College Station and Galveston, TX and Doha, Qatar. We include The Health Science Center with the College of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmacy, as well as The Texas A&M School of Law and Mays Business School. For more information, go to www.tamu.edu.
Â
Texas A&M Director of Athletics Ross Bjork announced that assistant coach Brian Kortan, who is entering his eighth year with the program, would serve as interim head coach for the 2020-21 season. Bjork will conduct a national search in the spring of 2021.
Â
"The decision to leave Texas A&M was the most difficult of my life," said Higgins, who had coached the Aggies since the 2001-02 season. "While together we have built one of the elite programs in all of college golf, it is the people I will miss the most - friends, players and co-workers. Everyone contributed to the success of this team and I am forever grateful. I have been given the opportunity to return to my hometown of Los Angeles and coach at The University of Southern California. It is the only school in the country that could draw me away from the school I love, Texas A&M. I am a proud Aggie Dad, with all three of my children now former students, and after 19 years in College Station, I will always consider myself an Aggie.Â
Â
"I am so proud of what we built here: the obvious are the incredible practice facilities and hardware in the trophy cases, but more subtle, I believe this golf program played a big role in Bryan-College Station becoming one of the best golf communities in the State of Texas. At least I hope we were part of it and I hope that we have brought a sense of pride to our university and community.Â
"We have a saying on our team, 'leave it better than you found it.' I think I can safely say that Aggie Golf has never been better. This year's team is one of the best in the country, great recruits are committed for the future and the team is in great hands with Coach Kortan at the helm. I will miss all of you but I leave with a full, grateful heart and a head full of great memories of my time in Aggieland. Thank you for letting me lead your golf program the last two decades, it has been my greatest honor."
Â
Texas A&M Director of Athletics Ross Bjork said, "I have truly enjoyed getting to know Coach Higgins during my time in Aggieland and have come to appreciate all that he has accomplished for our program and the relationships he has built over the last 20 years here at Texas A&M. We did everything we could to keep him and if Texas A&M was in California, we believe Coach Higgins would stay an Aggie, but we understand the personal draw to return to California and take over another great program. J.T. and his family will always be Aggies and we wish him the best at USC.
"Coach Brian Kortan will serve as the interim head coach for 2020-21 and we will conduct a national search in the spring of 2021."
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— Texas A&M Men's Golf (@AggieMensGolf) August 14, 2020
19 seasons at @TAMU
1 NCAA Championship (2009)
5 Top 10 Finishes
16 NCAA appearances
2 Conference COY award
3 Regional COY awards
GCAA Hall of Fame inductee (2015)
?? https://t.co/Pedj6PacOV#AggieGolf | #GigEm pic.twitter.com/HwQJS14fWR
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A capsule of Higgins' 19 seasons at Texas A&M includes:
- 1 NCAA Championship (2009)
- 5 Top 10 NCAA finishes
- 12 NCAA Championship appearances
- 16 NCAA Regional appearances
- 1 Big 12 Championship (2012)
- 2 Conference Coach of the Year awards
- 3 Regional Coach of the Year awards
- Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) Hall of Fame inductee (2015)
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About Texas A&M Athletics | Home of the 12th Man:
One of the most successful Athletics Departments in the nation, Texas A&M ranked No. 15 in the 2018-19 Learfield IMG College Directors' Cup standings and is one of eight Division I institutions nationally to finish in the top 20 of the prestigious ranking of athletics success for at least 13 consecutive years. For more information, go to www.12thMan.com.
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About Texas A&M University:
Texas A&M University, the flagship university within the Texas A&M University System, is a tier-one research institution with nearly $1 billion in research grants and more than 69,000 students. The President of Texas A&M University has strategic oversight for campuses in College Station and Galveston, TX and Doha, Qatar. We include The Health Science Center with the College of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmacy, as well as The Texas A&M School of Law and Mays Business School. For more information, go to www.tamu.edu.