K-State, Robbins Agree to Contract Extension Through 2026-27


MANHATTAN, Kan. – Director of Athletics Gene Taylor announced Thursday that K-State Athletics and head men’s golf coach Grant Robbins have agreed to a contract extension through the 2026-27 season.
 
Additionally, Robbins has elevated sixth-year assistant coach Rob Murray to associate head coach.
 
“Coach Robbins has done a phenomenal job building our men’s golf team into a postseason contender,” Taylor said. “Our program continues to make progress on the golf course, as evidenced by last season’s NCAA Regional appearance and two team wins already this season, but Coach Robbins also has a team culture and a roster full of tremendous young men that we can all be proud of.”
 
Robbins, who is in his ninth season of leading the Wildcats, has built a winning program that is primed for a bright future.
 
“I am extremely honored and blessed to be at Kansas State and a part of this great University,” said Robbins. “I want to thank Gene Taylor and our entire administration for their support and for giving me the opportunity to lead this program. I also want to thank our associate head coach Rob Murray, as well as all of our current and former players and support staff who have helped us build a strong foundation and have been instrumental in our success.” 
 
Last spring, Robbins took K-State to its first NCAA Regional appearance since 2009 with a squad that had six top-five finishes and a school record stroke average of 288.24.
 
The start of the 2022-23 season has seen the excitement around the program rise to new heights as the Wildcats won their first two events, the Wildcat Invitational and the Old Town Collegiate.

The performances garnered national recognition as the Wildcats are now ranked as the nation’s No. 21 team in the Bushnell/Golfweek D1 Coaches Poll. Those two titles have brought Robbins’ team championship total to four. 
 
A veteran coach with over 20 years of experience, Robbins has overseen a multitude of incredible golfers during his time at K-State, including Jeremey Gandon, Roland Massimino, Jacob Eklund, and Ben Fernandez, who all have their names in the school’s top-five of career stroke averages, with Gandon being the Wildcats’ all-time leader at 72.69. 
 
Six golfers have qualified for NCAA Regionals as individuals in the Robbins era, including a record three individuals in 2019 (Gandon, Massimino, Eklund), while current- Wildcat Tim Tillmanns qualified for an NCAA Regional in 2021. 
 
Under the guidance of Robbins, there have been six Wildcats win individual championships with three of the school’s top-five team stroke averages coming in just the last seven seasons.
 
His teams have also been successful in the classroom, with 29 student-athletes earning Academic All-Big 12 honors. 
 
Robbins and Kansas State will look to continue their hot start to the 2022-23 season when they return to action October 10-11 for the Oregon State Invitational, before concluding their fall slate October 17-19 in the Big 12 Match Play Championship. 
 
“I think we are just starting to scratch the surface of what this program can be, and I am extremely excited about the direction we are headed,” said Robbins.


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