Ron Coleman, a native of Erie, Pa., enters his ninth season has head coach of the Mercyhurst golf teams. Under Coleman's leadership, the golf teams have steadily improved in the PSAC. In 2015, Chris Kupneiwski was named to the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) first-team and Blaze Hogan was named All-PSAC second-team. In the 2020-21 season Jack Angelucci was First-Team All-PSAC and finished tied for first ath the NCAA East/Atlantic Super Regional.
In 2019, the Laker women's team posted their best finish ever at the PSAC Championships finishing in second behind a strong performance from Kymberly Henry who also finished second individually. The women matched that mark in 2020-21 as Henry once again finished in second individually.
Coleman, a 1979 alumnus of Mercyhurst, brings a tremendous amount of experience, as he previously coached for nearly 20 years at the high school level. He began coaching in 1989 for Villa Maria Academy, where he developed the first male golf team as Villa Maria was developing into a co-ed high school. He then coached the Lakers of Mercyhurst Prep from 1993 to 1996, where he posted a record of 22-19.
A majority of Coleman's time in coaching occurred at Cathedral Prep High School, where he coached the Ramblers from 1997 to 2004, and then again in 2006 and 2007. He developed Cathedral Prep into one of the state's top programs and was in charge of organizing practices, tournaments, community outreach programs, fundraising activities, and player development. He finished his career with the Ramblers by posting a 201-9 overall record, including winning 29 of 56 team tournaments and having 18 individual tournament champions. While at Prep, he had one PIAA individual champion and his team finished as the PIAA runners-up twice.
After spending most of his life playing baseball, Coleman turned to a career of golf, and has become one of the area's top athletes in the sport. In 2012, Coleman won a record eighth Erie District Golf Association (EDGA) individual title (five in match play and three in stroke play). That same year, he also played on his seventh WPGA Palmer Cup team. He holds 23 individual amateur titles and was inducted into the Erie Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame in 2010. He also holds the record by winning five consecutive EDGA titles, including three majors, and also won three straight WPGA Public Links Championships from 2007 to 2009. He was a USGA Public Links qualifier in both 2001 and 2007.
Previously, Coleman was a juvenile counselor clinician for 33 years at the Edmund L. Thomas Adolescent Center - a position he had held since 1979. His primary responsibility was to provide care, supervision, and security for the adolescents and children who reside at the center.
Following retirement, Coleman was hired as the Director of Golf at Mercyhurst and became a Professional Golfer Association (PGA) Professional. He has entered the PGA PGM Program and has played in various professional tournaments since.
Coleman resides in Erie with his wife, Michelle (Jeffreys) Coleman. They have three children - Katie, Kara, and Dustin, and three grandchildren – Nolan, Clara and Henry.
