Clay White was named head coach of the University of Pennsylvania men’s golf program in August 2022.
White came to Penn as the reigning Big East and Northeast Regional Coach of the Year after leading Seton Hall University to the 2022 Big East championship. White spent 18 years as head coach of the Pirates.
Seton Hall won its first Big East title in 22 years in 2022, then finished eighth out of 12 teams at the NCAA New Haven Regional, after being seeded 12th. At the Regional, Seton Hall bested #27 NC State and #31 Charlotte. The Pirates also won three events as a team in 2022, including the Daniel Island Invitational where they beat a pair of top-50 programs in Virginia and Florida State. Seton Hall was ranked 87th in the final GolfStat rankings out of 295 programs.
White led Seton Hall to a Big East runner-up finish in 2017, falling to Marquette by one stroke. Lloyd Jefferson Go repeated as the Big East Player of the Year that season and made his second straight individual NCAA appearance. Two of White’s recruits earned Big East Freshman of the Year honors and three were Big East individual runner-up. In the last five contested Big East Championships under White, Seton Hall finished first, third (twice), fourth and second out of nine teams.
The Pirates had 25 All-American Scholars and more than 100 members of the Big East All-Academic team during White’s tenure. Men’s golf also received the APR Public Recognition Award eight times, and 100 percent of SHU’s men’s golf student-athletes graduated during White’s 18 years at the helm.
When White arrived at Seton Hall in 2003, he began as the equipment manager for Seton Hall's varsity teams, a position he held until 2014 in addition to his coaching duties. He previously served two years as the assistant director of equipment at Ohio University.
While in Ohio, White was the head girls’ volleyball coach of the Ohio Juniors Volleyball Club 14-and-under team, one of several coaching positions White has held during his career. His experiences encompass a variety of sports, including collegiate softball and collegiate volleyball.
White got his start in coaching at Humboldt State University, where he was the assistant women's softball coach from 1993-95 and the assistant volleyball coach from 1995-97. In December of 1997, he assumed the role of assistant athletic equipment manager at Humboldt State and served in that capacity until 2000. White also was the head coach of the volleyball team at the College of the Redwoods from 1997-00.
White graduated from Humboldt State in Arcata, California with a bachelor's degree in physical education with an emphasis in teaching and coaching.
What They Are Saying About Clay White…
"Having known and coached against Clay for eighteen years, I'm excited to have him join the Ivy League. He has proven himself to be an exceptional recruiter, motivator and coach, and he understands and supports the values that the League espouses and promotes. I'm confident he'll be a great asset to Penn Golf."
Will Green, J. Stuart Francis '74 Head Coach of Men's Golf, Princeton University
"I've always admired Clay and the program he ran at Seton Hall. He's always recruited terrific players and quality individuals. We always enjoyed being paired with Clay and his team. I was particularly impressed with what his team accomplished at the NCAA Regional Tournament at Yale this past spring. With that performance, he earned my vote for Northeast Regional Coach of the Year. He will do great things at Penn. He is kind, caring, and takes pride in what he does. I wish him all the best!"
Colin Sheehan, Head Coach of Men's Golf, Yale University
"Clay is a man of integrity, passion, and drive. I think those three ingredients make for a successful coach. He's been a great colleague in the Big East and we will miss him and wish him the best!"
Tommy Hunter, Head Coach of Men's Golf and Director of Special Projects at Georgetown University
"Clay is one of the finest people in college golf, and a direct reflection of that is the players who have gone on to graduate from his program. Not only has he been successful on the golf course, but the way his players carry themselves is a reflection of him as a person and the standards he's created and upheld at Seton Hall. I'm happy for his next step and know he will continue to do great things in the Ivy League."
Steve Bailey, Head Coach of Men's Golf, Marquette University
