Damon Stancil, a graduate of Berry College and member of the 1998 NAIA Championship golf team, has been named Brenau University’s head golf coach, the school announced Friday.

The 36-year-old coach arrived at Brenau from North Georgia College and State University, where he was a graduate assistant for almost two years with the women’s team. Stancil also worked as a teaching professional at Hampton Golf Village in Cumming for the past seven years and expects to be elected to PGA membership in the coming months.

Women’s golf, Brenau’s 10th varsity sport, begins this fall, although most tournaments will be held in the spring.

Stancil plans to get the program up and running by finding at least six student-athletes who can “shoot the scores and make the grades,” he said.

He will recruit not only from Georgia and the Southeast, but also from around the world. He hopes to field a team that will eventually comprise as many as 10 players.

“I’m going to start close to home and work my way out,” Stancil said. “It does help with recruiting to be in Georgia and the Southeast because golf is played year-round.”

He also plans to get the word out to the Brenau student body, with the possibility of an open tryout if there is enough interest.

Brenau golf will compete in the Southern States Athletic Conference along with Truett-McConnell College, Emmanuel College, Coastal Georgia University, Faulkner University, University of Mobile, Spring Hill College, Lee University, William Carey University and Loyola University.