Ronnie Choate

Choate was Sam Houston's first golf coach after starting the golf program in 1961 at twenty three years old, having had no prior golf experience. He coached a total of 38 years over two stints and directed the Bearkats to four consecutive NAIA national championships from 1978 to 1981. He was honored as national coach of the year each of those seasons. He won nine conference titles during his 33 years as coach before retiring in 1994. Choate and his son, Dean, achieved a rare father-son sweep of the Southland Conference’s golf awards in 1994 as conference Coach of the Year and Golfer of the Year, respectively. Ronnie and Dean Choate also are the only father/son combination who have been inducted into the Sam Houston State’s Hall of Honor.

He returned as interim head coach in the spring of 2008, after the men’s and women’s team were without a coach. He directed the Bearkats to a runner-up finish in the Southland Conference that spring. His 2008-09 Bearkat squad won five tournaments and one of the Bearkats advanced to the NCAA Division I regional for only the sixth time in Sam Houston history. He ended up staying for additional five years, retiring for the final time in 2013.

In his career, Choate earned league coach of the year honors 13 times in three conferences. He has coached 21 All-Americans, including Robert Thompson, Lee Singletary, Bill McEntire, Jim Phenicie, Jeff Bellnap, Mark Dees and Donnie Massengale. The Bearkats, under Choate's guidance, won 11 conference individual medalist titles and two national individual championships.

Choate has been involved with Sam Houston athletics most of his life. He was a quarterback for the Bearkat football team, playing on teams that produced a 25-13-1 record from 1956 to 1959. He also started at third base for the baseball team. In addition, he served as assistant football coach, worked as a fundraiser, and completed his career as director of athletics from 1992 to 1998.

Birthplace: Austin, Texas

Born: May 26, 1937

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