| Phone: | (903) 886-5563 |
| Email: | Louie.Bledsoe@tamuc.edu |
| Position: | Head Golf Coach |
Dr. Louie Bledsoe is in his eighth season as head golf coach for both men and women at Texas A&M University-Commerce.
As the Lions’ head coach, the men’s team advanced to the NCAA Regional Tournament in 2007 and in 2009 and Blake Worden advanced as an individual in 2006 and in 2008. Worden earned honorable mention All-American honors in 2007 and was a three-time all-tournament team selection at the Lone Star Conference (LSC) Championships. Worden was named a first team LSC All-Conference selection in 2007 and 2008 and earned honorable mention accolades in 2009.
Pinkey Hartline became the third Lion in program history to win the individual title at the LSC Championships in 2008. He too was an all-tournament team selection in 2008 and was a second team All-LSC selection in 2009.
Danny Jun was named second team all-Lone Star Conference in 2010 and was named to the conference's Commissioner's Honor Roll in 2009. In 2010, Jun was announced as a member of the Golf Coaches Association of America All-Academic Team.
Dustin Gideon was named to the Lone Star Conference All-Academic Team in 2010, with Aaron Cockerill and John Moug being named to the LSC Commissioner's Honor Roll in 2011.
As the women’s head coach, Adi Attaway earned all-LSC in 2006 and 2007 and was named to the LSC All-Tournament Team in 2006. In 2011, Chantry McMahan was named an All-Lone Star Conference honorable mention selection in addition to being named to the LSC All-Tournament team after posting a runner-up finish.
Christie Martin was twice selected to the National Golf Coaches Association All-American Scholar Team in 2005 and 2006. Other women's golfers named to the NGCA All-American Scholar Team include Malonie Oats (2010), Megan Benites (2011) and Sara Diaz (2011). Katie McCranie earned LSC All-Academic team recognition in 2005.
Martin went on to be named to the LSC Commissioner's Honor Roll in 2005. Benites was a two-time honoree, accomplishing the feat in both 2009 and 2011, as she was joined last season by teammates Diaz, Holly Jenkins and Chelsea McCoy. Kathleen May and Malonie Oats were named to the Honor Roll in 2010.
At the LSC Championships, in 2008 and 2005, the women finished third, in 2007, the men tied for third and in 2006, both the Lions’ men’s and women’s teams finished fourth.
In addition to his golf coaching responsibilities, he is also involved with the game operations for home A&M-Commerce football and basketball games.
Bledsoe retired as the director of parks and recreation for the city of Commerce in December 2003 after serving for six years. He was responsible for youth sports activities, senior adult activities, the city pool and maintenance of the city’s parks and sports facilities.
He came to Commerce in 1990 as principal of Commerce High School and retired in 1993 after a 33-year tenure in Texas public schools. Prior to coming to Commerce, Bledsoe served as principal of Cedar Hill High School. He also spent 24 years in the Dallas Independent School District as an elementary teacher, high school teacher and coach and assistant principal.
He served in the Texas Air National Guard for six years in the late 1950s. Bledsoe is active in the community as well, having served on the board of directors and board president of Sand Hills Golf and Country Club and as a radio analyst for CHS and A&M-Commerce football games on KETR-FM. He has also worked in sales at KGVL-AM and KIK-FM in Greenville.
A native of Dallas, Bledsoe graduated from Adamson High School. He holds three degrees from the University of North Texas, earning his bachelor’s in health, physical education and recreation in 1960. He added a master’s in education in 1964 and a doctorate of education in administrative leadership in 1974.
Bledsoe married his high school sweetheart, the former Diane Dodson, in June 1960. They have three grown children, Lisa, Laurie and James, with three grandchildren, Caley, Shea and Delaina.
