Since joining the NSU athletic staff in the summer of 1998, head golf coach Scott Varner has made a tremendous impact on the RiverHawks golf programs. Varner, the Director of Golf, serves as the NSU Athletics Strength and Conditioning Coordinator as well.
Varner enters his 10th season at the helm of the NSU programs, has been the Lone Star Conference Coach of the Year four times, NCAA West Region Coach of the Year two times and South Central Region Coach of the Year once.
The Stillwater native returned to his home state after a brief two-year stint at the University of Louisiana Monroe, an NCAA Division I institution.
Prior to that, Varner led the East Central University golf teams from a fledgling program to a national contender in just a couple of years. His ECU squads consistently were ranked among the nations best at the NAIA level. Varner also was the defensive line coach and strength and conditioning coordinator on the ECU football team that won a NAIA National Title in 1993, and his 1995 golf team were a mere three holes from winning the national title. Clearly, Varner’s programs have always enjoyed tremendous success at the national level.
The women are coming off eight appearances in the NCAA II National Tournament in 10 years and finished 10th in the nation while making six finals appearances. The men were consistently ranked in the top 25 for the 10th straight year and earned a 9th trip to the NCAA II Tournament.
During his career, Varner has coached 29 All-Americans, 15 Academic All-Americans, five of which were first team choices.
An avid advocate of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Varner is the sponsor of the NSU FCA Chapter. The legendary Tom Osborn honored Varner in 1995 when he was selected the Southeast Oklahoma FCA Coach of the Year. In 2004, he was named the Oklahoma FCA Coach of the Year and was honored b FCA founder Don McClanen and Coach/Senator Dr. Tom Osborn. He also holds memberships in the Golf Coaches Association of America, is a certified strength and conditioning specialist (C.S.C.S) with the National Strength and Conditioning Association and the Oklahoma Coaches Association.
A two-time state high school golf team champion and an All-State selection in 1979 at Stillwater High School, Varner also was an All-District selection in football. He lettered in golf at the University of North Texas where he helped the Mean Green to the NCAA Championship Tournament and finished 20th in the nation.
He completed his bachelor’s degree in health and physical education from Oklahoma State University in 1986 with a conversion endorsement in biology, anatomy and physiology. He earned a master’s degree in exercise science from East Central University in 1990.
Varner and his wife Monica Kay have been married for 21 years and have two boys, Michael, age 15 and Brian, age 11. He and his family are members of the Church at Battle Creek in Broken Arrow.
