Women's Golf
- Title:
- Head Coach
- Email:
- Michael.Akers@unt.edu
- Phone:
- 940-369-5891
- Alma Mater:
- FHSU
Michael Akers joined the Mean Green women’s golf program in May 2016 ahead of the 2016-17 season, and now has seen the program elevate itself more with each of Akers’ seasons culminating with a fifth straight postseason appearance in 2025 after the Mean Green were selected to the National Golf Invitational - women's college golf's version of the basketball NIT.
That appearance was on the heels of a fourth straight bid to the NCAA Regionals in 2024 after having just one in prior appearance in program history.
Akers, the former head coach at Texas State, led the Bobcats to six NCAA Regional appearances and has now seen North Texas rise in the national rankings by more than 180 spots since his arrival. In two seasons in the American, UNT has claimed a combined seven spots on the all-conference team, including four in 2024 which was the most of any program.
In 2023, Akers led the program to a Conference USA Championship three-peat and a win at the The Bruzzy, as well as a third straight honor as the C-USA Coach of the Year and a program record six selections to the All-Conference USA team. Aside from Akers' Coach of the Year honor, Audrey Tan earned her third straight first-team nod and was joined by Ellie Roth. Patricia Sinolungan and Emilie Ricaud were second-team selections, while Shreya Pal earned third-team honors.
The 2022-23 team set several new program records, including team scoring average (289.60), birdies (395), low round vs. par (-9, 279) and low 54-hole score with a staggering 24-under par 840 at the ICON Invitational.
In 2022, the team tied the old mark set in 2021 with four selections in Akers, Tan (first team), Roth (second team) and Sinolungan (third team).
The 2021 Conference USA all-conference team had a lot of Mean Green representation, as Akers was named Coach of the Year, and Tan and Lauren Cox earned first-team honors, while Katie Finley garnered a third-team selection.
Akers saw Cox earn first-team all-conference honors for the second straight year in 2020, and she earned an at-large bid as an individual to the 2019 NCAA Regional and set the program record for lowest single-season scoring average. She earned second-team all-conference honors in 2018 when she and teammate Sabina Pena tied for fifth at the C-USA Championships to both earn all-tournament honors. Sol Lee was also a third-team all-conference selection in 2017. Cox was joined on the 2020 All-C-USA team by second-team selection Audrey Tan and third-team honoree Patricia Sinolungan.
Prior to joining North Texas, Akers coached 10 seasons at Texas State, and led the Bobcats to six NCAA Tournament appearances, including three-straight trips from 2012-14. He coached three conference championships (two Southland, one Sun Belt) and earned three at-large bids for the first time in Texas State history.
In 2015-16, Texas State took home its first Sun Belt Conference Tournament championship. Named the preseason favorites by Golfweek, the Bobcats overcame a one-stroke deficit after round one to pull away to a 19-stroke victory.
After joining the SBC in 2013, the Bobcats had back-to-back runner-up finishes at the SBC Tournament. Akers coached 10 All-Sun Belt selections and won 12 tournament titles in his 10-year head coaching career in San Marcos.
The 2012-13 season marked the fourth time that Akers led Texas State to the NCAA Tournament, previously accomplishing the feat in 2008, 2010 and 2012.
Off the course, Akers’ squad earned a perfect APR score of 1000. Krista Puisite contributed to the high academic standards, becoming the first Bobcat to earn the CoSIDA Academic All-American award.
In regards to overall rankings, the 2012-13 Bobcats finished the season ranked No. 26 nationally, with a 297.94 scoring average in 33 rounds.
In 2009-10, Akers and the Bobcats captured their second Southland Conference Championship in three years in record-setting fashion. The team overcame a 15-stroke deficit in the final round to win the title. Texas State also earned an automatic bid to the NCAA West Regionals and Akers was named 2009-10 Southland Conference Coach of the Year.
Akers joined Texas State in September 2006, and his successful tenure began right away. In May 2007, Texas State’s recruiting class was ranked among the nation’s top five by The Golf Channel.
Texas State finished the 2007-08 season with six top-five finishes and the five freshmen were ranked as the nation’s best class by Golfstat.com. Texas State capped off its successful season by winning the 2008 Southland Conference Championship and qualifying to play in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history.
In that season, the Bobcats jumped an astounding 100 spots in the national rankings in 12 months after climbing from 148th in Oct. 2006 to 48th in Oct. 2007. Those achievements earned Akers Southland Conference Coach of the Year honors in 2008.
Akers arrived at Texas State after serving as an assistant coach for men’s and women’s golf at the University of Central Florida. Prior to his stint at UCF, Akers spent one season as a volunteer assistant for the women’s program at Middle Tennessee.
Akers was also the associate head coach at his alma mater, Fort Hays State in Kansas, for eight seasons. There he helped elevate the program to the top of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.
Akers also served as head PGA professional at the Smoky Hill Country Club in Hays where he was responsible for the club’s daily golf operations management. He is also the course-record holder at Smoky Hill, having fired a nine-under 62 on the par-71 course, and became a PGA Class A professional in 1996.
He is the founder and co-owner of Precision Valley Golf Center in Kansas, a full-service golf training site that includes indoor and outdoor hitting areas as well as a pro shop. In 2001, Akers produced and co-authored a golf instructional CD entitled “Build Your Dream Swing.” The interactive CD covers the seven components of the full swing.
Akers earned his bachelor’s degree in exercise science from FHSU, where he was a member of the Tiger men’s golf team. He recorded three tournament victories during his collegiate career in Hays. He and his wife, Tamara, have three sons, Drew, Eddie and Zack.
