A veteran of the collegiatde coaching ranks for 18 years, John Knauer is in his fifth season as head men’s golf coach at UTSA.

The College Station native came to the Alamo City from Arizona, where he was an assistant coach for 10 seasons for one of the top programs in the country.

In his four-plus years at UTSA, Knauer has guided the Roadrunners to 19 top-10 finishes, including four top-five showings, six all-conference selections, including 2011 Southland Conference Freshman of the Year Ryan Werre, and one Southland All-Academic honoree during his tenure.

Knauer guided the Roadrunners to six top-10 finishes during the 2011-12 campaign, including a fifth-place showing at the Rice Intercollegiate. Ryan Werre garnered second-team All-Southland accolades after recording three top-10 finishes, including tying for fourth at the Rice Intercollegiate and seventh at the conference championship. Additionally, Tyler Koser collected Southland All-Academic honors for his success on the course and in the classroom.

Knauer led UTSA to four top-10 showings, including a fifth-place effort at the Kauai Collegiate Invitational and a seventh-place finish at the Southland Championship, in 2010-11. Werre, who posted three top-10 finishes during the year, including tying for third at the Southland Championship, earned third-team all-conference honors to go along with being tabbed the circuit’s freshman of the year, while Lewis Chong, who was ninth at the conference tournament, was an honorable mention all-league pick.

In 2009-10, Knauer led a young squad to three top-10 finishes, which included a season-best seventh-place showing at the Southland Championship. He mentored Emiliano Martinez and Nicko Dodd to honorable mention all-conference accolades.

In his first season, Knauer guided the Roadrunners to four top-10 finishes, including a pair of top-five showings. His squad recorded its best outing of the year with a fourth-place effort at the Southland Championship. Meanwhile, Kyle Collins earned second-team all-conference accolades after finishing fourth at the league tournament.

The 2006 National Assistant Coach of the Year, Knauer began his coaching career at Texas A&M (1995-98), then moved to Arizona, where he spent 10 years as an assistant under legendary head coach Rick LaRose. During his tenure, he was in charge of recruiting and the junior varsity program.  
While in Tucson, Knauer was well known for his recruiting, which made Arizona one of the top programs in the country. The Wildcats were ranked as high as second in the country and ended the season in the top 10 five times during his tenure. The Wildcats won two NCAA West Regional titles (2000 & ’06), advanced to 10 NCAA Championships, captured 19 team championships, including a Pac-10 title, and 19 individual crowns.

Meanwhile, Arizona golfers earned 29 All-Pac-10 honors, 36 all-academic accolades, 16 All-America certificates, two Pac-10 Player of the Year awards and three Pac-10 Freshman of the Year honors.

Under Knauer’s direction, the junior varsity program recorded 27 top-10 finishes and three team titles against NCAA Division I opponents in seven seasons.

Prior to Arizona, Knauer got his start as a volunteer assistant coach at Texas A&M in 1995, then was promoted the following year to men’s and women’s assistant coach. During the 1997-98 season, Knauer was the assistant coach for the men’s program, where helped the Aggies win a regional in 1998.

Knauer was a high school standout at A&M Consolidated High School in College Station. He was a four-year letterwinner who earned first-team all-region and all-district accolades. Knauer was part of the 1990 team that finished third at the state tournament.

Knauer graduated from Texas A&M in 1995 with a degree in sport management.

He currently resides in San Antonio with his wife, Jennifer, and two daughters, Ellen Marie and Paige Joy.

The Knauer File
Hometown: College Station, Texas
Birthdate: Nov. 26, 1971
Education: Texas A&M, 1995

Coaching Experience
· 2008-present: UTSA, head coach
· 1998-2008: Arizona, assistant coach
· 1997-98: Texas A&M, assistant men’s coach
· 1996-97: Texas A&M, assistant men’s & women’s coach
· 1995-96: Texas A&M, volunteer coach

UTSA Highlights
· 4 top-five finishes
· 19 top-10 finishes
· 6 all-conference selections
· 1 conference freshman of the year
· 1 academic all-conference selection

Coaching Highlights
· 2006 National Assistant Coach of the Year
· 4 NCAA top-10 finishes
· 11 NCAA Championship appearances
· 3 NCAA Regional Championships
· 1 conference title
· 19 tournament crowns
· 19 individual medalists
· 18 All-Americans
· 2 conference players of the year
· 3 conference freshmen of the year
· 35 all-conference selections
· 37 conference all-academic honorees