When one thinks of Malone men’s golf, it is basically impossible to
not think of Ken Hyland. This incredible individual has been at the heart of the program for most of its 60-year existence and is synonymous with the program itself.
Now in his 53rd season as the Pioneers’ men’s golf head coach in 2024-25, Hyland has guided the Pioneers to tremendous success during his accomplished career. Under his direction, Malone has captured 30 Conference/Region/District Titles, four NCCAA National Championships (1999, 2000, 2004, 2008), and an NAIA National Title in 2000.
The success of the Pioneer men’s golf program has continued throughout the program’s transition to NCAA Division II membership as in 2013-14 (Malone’s first year of NCAA postseason eligibility) the program advanced all the way to the semifinals of the NCAA Division II National Championships. The Pioneers' memorable season included a total of seven tournament victories, highlighted by a first-place finish at the NCAA Division II Central/Midwest Super Regional. The squad also made plenty of school history in 2013-14, becoming the first Malone team to win a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Title, as well as, the first team to qualify for an NCAA Division II National Championship event.
Following Malone’s incredible 2013-14 season, the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) named Hyland the recipient of the Dave Williams Award as the NCAA Division II National Coach of the Year. Incredibly, this tremendous honor marked the seventh time in Hyland’s Malone coaching career that he earned a National Coach of the Year Award. He was twice named NAIA National Coach of the Year – following Malone's NAIA National Championship in 2000 and the Pioneers' third-place NAIA national finish in 2010. Hyland is also a four-time NCCAA (National Christian College Athletic Association) National Coach of the Year, earning the accolade following each of the Pioneers' four NCCAA National Titles (1999, 2000, 2004, 2008).
Ken graduated from Malone College in 1969 with a bachelor‘s degree in history and physical education and received his master’s degree from the University of Akron in 1972. While a student at Malone, he became the school’s first All-American and first National Champion when he captured medalist honors at the 1969 NAIA National Golf Championship in Ft. Worth, Texas. Since graduation, he has won the Ohio Public Links Championship along with many local and club championships.
Ken has been named to the NAIA Golf Hall of Fame (1977), the Malone Athletics Hall of Fame (1986), and the O.P.G.A. Golf Hall of Fame (1998), where he is presently serving as the association's president. Ken was also inducted into the GCAA Hall of Fame in 2011.
He has been named District 22, Mid-Ohio Conference, American Mideast Conference or GLIAC Coach of the Year a remarkable 24 times and has coached 20 All-Americans and 77 All-District/All-Conference players.
In addition, he guided the U.S.A. Golf Team to a World Championship and a gold medal in the World University Games played in Lausanne, Switzerland and he also led another U.S. Team to a fourth-place finish in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Hyland had another international coaching opportunity recently as he led Team USA to a Top 5 finish at the 2012 Junior Golf World Cup in Toyota City, Japan.
Ken and his wife, Martha, reside in Louisville, Ohio and they have two grown children, Scott and Barry (who played four seasons for Malone men’s golf in 1996, ‘97, ‘98 and ‘99).
Get to know more about Ken through
Malone's Pioneer Spotlight
