University of Tennessee Athletics
Women's Golf
Kristen Golightly
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
- Email:
- kgoligh1@utk.edu
Kristen Golightly is entering her third season as an assistant coach for the Tennessee women's golf program in 2026-27.
With the help of Golightly in the 2025-26 season, Tennessee made history by claiming the first SEC Championship in program history and setting a single-season program record with four wins. The Lady Vols had three different individual medalists throughout the season, as Kyra Van Kan and Madison Messimer each earned All-SEC and All-American recognition. Additionally, Messimer became Tennessee's first SEC Freshman of the Year since 2003.
In her first campaign with the Lady Vols in 2024-25, Golightly helped Tennessee to its first NCAA Championship appearance since 2019. The team went on to tie for 13th place in the event for their best NCAA Championship finish since 2015. Additionally, Tennessee's 109 wins in 2024-25 were the most since 2015.
Boasting two years of head coaching experience at NCAA Division II level, Golightly has spent the past two seasons at West Georgia. Prior to that, Golightly served as an assistant coach at UWG for four seasons.
Golightly guided the Wolves to three top-five finishes and had two players earn All-GSC recognition during the 2023-24 season.
Following this past season, four UWG women's golfers were named WGCA All-American Scholars as their team earned the WGCA All-Scholar Team GPA Award.
In her time as an assistant and head coach at UWG, Golightly coached six All-Gulf South Conference selections and three GSC Players of the Year.
Prior to her time in Carrolton, Georgia, Golightly spent two seasons at West Alabama as the Tiger's assistant men's and women's golf coach.
In her time at UWA, Golightly was crucial in the development of Ye Yun Jin, who was the 2017 GSC Individual Medalist.
Before her assistant coaching stint at West Alabama, Golightly served as a graduate assistant for the women's golf team and also in the compliance office at South Alabama. There, Golightly helped Carianne Wright to a spot on the All-Sun Belt Conference team and had three players named WGCA All-Scholar.
As a player at South Alabama, Golightly competed for the Jaguars from 2009 to 2013, and was a four-time member of the WGCA All-American Scholar Team and the Sun Belt Conference Commissioner's List.
On the course, she was the 2011 Lady Jaguar Invitational champion, and was named 2013 All-Sun Belt as a senior. In her career, Golightly had eight top-10 finishes in tournament play.
A 2013 graduate of South Alabama, Golightly received a degree in communication with a concentration in broadcast journalism and received a masters of education from USA in 2016
With the help of Golightly in the 2025-26 season, Tennessee made history by claiming the first SEC Championship in program history and setting a single-season program record with four wins. The Lady Vols had three different individual medalists throughout the season, as Kyra Van Kan and Madison Messimer each earned All-SEC and All-American recognition. Additionally, Messimer became Tennessee's first SEC Freshman of the Year since 2003.
In her first campaign with the Lady Vols in 2024-25, Golightly helped Tennessee to its first NCAA Championship appearance since 2019. The team went on to tie for 13th place in the event for their best NCAA Championship finish since 2015. Additionally, Tennessee's 109 wins in 2024-25 were the most since 2015.
Boasting two years of head coaching experience at NCAA Division II level, Golightly has spent the past two seasons at West Georgia. Prior to that, Golightly served as an assistant coach at UWG for four seasons.
Golightly guided the Wolves to three top-five finishes and had two players earn All-GSC recognition during the 2023-24 season.
Following this past season, four UWG women's golfers were named WGCA All-American Scholars as their team earned the WGCA All-Scholar Team GPA Award.
In her time as an assistant and head coach at UWG, Golightly coached six All-Gulf South Conference selections and three GSC Players of the Year.
Prior to her time in Carrolton, Georgia, Golightly spent two seasons at West Alabama as the Tiger's assistant men's and women's golf coach.
In her time at UWA, Golightly was crucial in the development of Ye Yun Jin, who was the 2017 GSC Individual Medalist.
Before her assistant coaching stint at West Alabama, Golightly served as a graduate assistant for the women's golf team and also in the compliance office at South Alabama. There, Golightly helped Carianne Wright to a spot on the All-Sun Belt Conference team and had three players named WGCA All-Scholar.
As a player at South Alabama, Golightly competed for the Jaguars from 2009 to 2013, and was a four-time member of the WGCA All-American Scholar Team and the Sun Belt Conference Commissioner's List.
On the course, she was the 2011 Lady Jaguar Invitational champion, and was named 2013 All-Sun Belt as a senior. In her career, Golightly had eight top-10 finishes in tournament play.
A 2013 graduate of South Alabama, Golightly received a degree in communication with a concentration in broadcast journalism and received a masters of education from USA in 2016
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