Nancy McDaniel

Nancy Kessler McDaniel (1966–2024) was the founding coach for the University of California's women's golf program. McDaniel coached the Cal Golden Bears women's golf team for 29 seasons, where they made 23 NCAA regional appearances. Under her tenure, the team would head to the NCAA Championships 10 times.

Nancy McDaniel

Biographical details
Born	November 11, 1966 Portland, Oregon
Died	October 23, 2024
Alma mater	University of Washington
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
29	University of California Golden Bears
Head coaching record
Tournaments	7
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
1
Awards
Pac-12 Coach of the Year (2x), Women's Golf Coaches Association Hall of Fame (2016), Cal Athletics Hall of Fame (2024)

Background

McDaniel was born in Portland, Oregon on November 11, 1966. She first began playing golf at age eight at Waverly Country Club.

She would go on to play golf at the University of Washington in 1984. In 1988, McDaniel served as team captain during her senior year at University of Washington, where she earned All American and Pac-10 All-Decade Team honors.

In 1995, McDaniel started the women's golf program at the University of California.

While coaching at Cal, she was named Pac-10 Coach of the Year twice, in 2001 and 2002. In 2002, the Golden Bears were ranked 2 nationally, their highest ranking. In 2003, she was named the LPGA Teaching and Club Professional Coach of the Year and also was named Golfweek's Coach of the Year. In 2004, one of her players, Sarah Huarte won the individual national title. Another of McDaniel's standout players, Anne Walker, would go on to coach the Stanford Women's golf team.

In 2016 she was named to the Women's Golf Coaches Association Hall of Fame and in 2024 she was inducted in the Cal Athletics Hall of Fame, as well as the National Golf Coaches Association Hall of Fame. McDaniel coached 17 All American players, and 43 All-Pac 10/12 players during her time as a coach.

McDaniel was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015. After her diagnosis, she became active in breast cancer advocacy, teaching clinics to benefit breast cancer research. She went into remission two years after her initial diagnosis, but the cancer returned in 2023. She also lent her name to Stanford's PlayForHer initiative, responsible for raising nearly $450,000 for breast cancer research. McDaniel retired from coaching duties at Cal in May 2024. She died of complications of breast cancer on October 23, 2024, at age 57.

Shortly before her death, McDaniel was inducted into the Northern California Golf Association's Hall of Fame.