Melanie Loughin began her career with Davenport University in August 2011 and spent 13 seasons as the Head Women’s Golf Coach. In May of 2024 she assumed the role of Assistant Director of Athletics for Internal Operations. In this role, Loughin assists with overseeing game management and facility scheduling for all athletic events on campus, assists with the day-to-day operations of all athletic facilities, as well as overseeing all transportation needs for athletics. She also has daily oversight of the Men’s and Women’s Golf programs.
Melanie received her Bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Business Administration with a concentration in Professional Golf Management in 2001 from Methodist University in Fayetteville, N.C. While at Methodist, Melanie was a two-time National Golf Coaches Association First Team All-American, a two-time NCAA Division III National Championship Individual Runner-Up, and a three-time NCAA Division III National Champion Team Member. Until the streak ended in 2013, her winning years on the Methodist team combined to form a 15-year title streak and at the time the longest current active streak (1998-2012) in any NCAA sport, and currently the third-longest title streak in the all-time history of NCAA athletics. After graduation, Melanie spent 2002 as a member of the Futures Golf Tour, the official developmental tour for the LPGA.
Loughin has been a Class A member of the Professional Golfers’ Association of America (PGA) since 2006. She currently holds the women's course record (65) at Railside Golf Club in Byron Center, Michigan.
Melanie completed her Master of Business Administration degree with a concentration in Strategic Management in 2013 from Davenport University. She lives in Hudsonville with her two children, Lincoln (DU 2028) and Raylee.
Highlights of Melanie Loughin’s coaching career at DU:
2023-24
- 2024 GLIAC Coach of the Year for Women’s Golf
- Team honored as WGCA All-Scholar Team: 2nd Best GPA in NCAA DII Nationwide (3.915)
- 6 GLIAC All-Academic Excellence Team Members
- 6 WGCA All-American Scholars
- NCAA DII National Championship Team Qualifier – first time in program history
- NCAA East Region Team Qualifier – first time in program history
- Coached 1 Second Team All-GLIAC member (Lauren Gervais)
- Coached 1 Honorable Mention Team All-GLIAC member (Hannah Meloche)
- Team sets low 54 hole scoring record
- Team Scoring Average – 315.16
2022-23
- Team honored as WGCA All-Scholar Team: 2nd Best GPA in NCAA DII Nationwide (3.907)
- Coached 1 Honorable Mention Team All-GLIAC member (Lauren Gervais)
- 7 GLIAC All-Academic Excellence Team Members
- 6 WGCA All-American Scholars
- Team Scoring Average – 323.20
- Member of the NCAA Division II Women’s Golf Regional Advisory Committee
2021-22
- Team honored as WGCA All-Scholar Team: 3rd Best GPA in NCAA DII Nationwide (3.889)
- Coached 1 Honorable Mention Team All-GLIAC member (Hannah Meloche)
- 7 GLIAC All-Academic Excellence Team Members
- 6 WGCA All-American Scholars
- Team Scoring Average – 333.08
- 1 GLIAC Women’s Golfer of The Week
- Member of the NCAA Division II Women’s Golf Regional Advisory Committee
2020-21 (Season shortened due to COVID-19)
- Team honored as WGCA All-Scholar Team: Best GPA in NCAA DII Nationwide (3.915)
- Team sets low 54 school record
- Led team to 4th place finish in the GLIAC
- Coached 1 Second Team All-GLIAC member (Hannah Meloche)
- 7 GLIAC All-Academic Excellence Team Members
- 5 WGCA All-American Scholars
- Team Scoring Average – 326.67
- Member of the NCAA Division II Women’s Golf Regional Advisory Committee
2019-20 (Season shortened due to COVID-19)
- Team honored as WGCA All-Scholar Team: Best GPA in NCAA DII Nationwide (3.918)
- Coached 1 All-GLIAC First Team member (Hannah Meloche)
- 5 GLIAC All-Academic Excellence Team Members
- 6 WGCA All-American Scholars
- Team Scoring Average – 319.36
2018-19
- Team sets low 18 school record
- Team sets low 36 school record
- Team sets low 54 school record
- 2 invitational wins: PNW Lalaeff Invite and DU Panther Invitational
- Led team to a GLIAC Runner-Up finish
- 2 All-GLIAC Second Team members (Frida Henningsson, Hannah Meloche)
- 5 GLIAC All-Academic Excellence Team members
- 5 WGCA All-American Scholars
- Team honored as WGCA All-Scholar Team; 4th best GPA in NCAA DII Nationwide (3.848)
- 2 GLIAC Women's Golfers of The Week (Hannah Meloche and Frida Henningsson)
- Team Scoring Average – 322.29
2017-18
- Team sets low 36 school record
- Team honored as WGCA All-Scholar Team; 10th best GPA in NCAA DII Nationwide (3.683)
- 1 GLIAC All-Academic Team member
- 4 GLIAC All-Academic Excellence Team members
- 3 WGCA All-American Scholars
- Team Scoring Average – 334.91
2016-17
- Team sets low 18 and low 54 school records
- 2 invitational wins: OWU Invitational and Kalamazoo College Intercollegiate
- 1 WHAC All-Conference Honorable Mention player
- 2 WHAC All-Academic Team members
- 1 CoSIDA Academic All-District Women’s At-Large Team member
- 1 NAIA Daktronic Scholar Athlete
- Team Scoring Average – 336.00
2015-16
- Team sets low 18, 36 and 54 school records
- Team posted lowest WHAC score in school history
- 1 WHAC All-Conference Honorable Mention player
- 1 All-WHAC Academic player
- Named the WHAC Champions of Character Coach for Women’s Golf
- 2 invitational wins: Furniture City Classic and the Kalamazoo College Intercollegiate
- Team Scoring Average - 334.74
2014-15
- Team sets low 18, 36 and 54 school records
- 3 invitational wins: Illinois College Spring Invite, Furniture City Classic & the Kalamazoo College Intercollegiate
- Team Scoring Average - 343.8
2013-14
- Team sets low 18 and 36 school records
- Claimed Davenport’s first ever invitational title at the ONU Invitational
- Team posted lowest WHAC score in school history
- 2 All-WHAC Academic Athletes
- 2 Daktronics NAIA Women’s Golf Scholar Athletes
- Team Scoring Average – 348.6
2012-13
- Named the WHAC Champions of Character Coach for Women’s Golf
- Led Panthers to a 3rd place finish in the Wolverine Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) Championship
- Team sets low 18 school record
- 5 All-WHAC Academic Athletes
- 4 Daktronics NAIA Women’s Golf Scholar Athletes
- Team Scoring Average – 352.9
2011-12
- Led Panthers to a 4th place finish in the Wolverine Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) during the regular season and the Panthers then finished third in the WHAC Tourney
- Team sets low 18 and 36 school records
- 1 1st-Team All-WHAC performer
- 3 All-WHAC Academic Athletes
- 3 Daktronics NAIA Women’s Golf Scholar Athletes
- Team Scoring Average – 355.4
