Jay Rees was introduced as the War Hawks’ head coach for men’s and women’s golf on May 6, 2015. Rees is a veteran of 32 years as a golf coach, 30 of which has been as a head coach.
Rees’ appointment also elevated the War Hawks’ golf programs in that he is a full-time staff member. Previously, the golf coach positions were both part time.
In the 2021 season, his sixth at the helm, Rees guided senior Lane Roye to the NCAA Division III National Championships where he finished T-48th in a field of 191 golfers. He entered as the No. 13 golfer in the nation. The men's golf program had a first place finish at the Schreiner/McMurry Spring Invitational and achieved its highest ranking in program history at No. 9 in the nation midway through the season. Additionally, Roye and senior teammate Brendon Lowrance earned all-conference honors and Roye was named ASC Golfer of the Year. The team finished fifth at the ASC Championships and tied for the lowest round on the final day.
McM had high expectations in 2019-20 under Rees, and won its first two tournaments of the season. Overall, McMurry won three events and placed second three times, including a record 31-stroke win at the prestigious BSN Sports Dataw Invitational. Brendon Lowrance and Elliot Bourke each earned one win apiece, with Lowrance and Lane Roye palcing in the top 10 in six of seven tournaments. Both Roye and Lowrance were named All-Region and honorable mention All-America. Lowrance also tied the record for individual low round with a 66. As a team, McM set the program record for team average, low round for 18 holes, and total scored after 36 and 54 holes. Lowrance and Roye each broke the individual scoring average record.
Senior Kendalyn Ferguson once again led the women's team, posting one top 10 finish with an average of 84.08 strokes. McM finished fourth at the Rockwind Links Intercollegiate.
The fourth year for Rees at the helm of the men saw McM win two tournaments and record three runner up finishes. The team shattered the previous scoring record with a 294.06 scoring average. Five players averaged fewer than 75 strokes per round, with Clemente Yanes earning two wins and Lane Roye one. After a second place finish at the ASC Championships, Rees was named the ASC Coach of the Year as Yanes, Roye and Brendon Lowrance were all named All-ASC. Lowrance also qualified for the NCAA Championships, tying for 39th, earning All-Region and All-America honors.
Rees coached junior Kendalyn Ferguson to medalist honors at the TLU Lady Bulldog Fall Classic, as she also had three top 10s and two top fives. Ferguson earned first team All-ASC honors with an average of 82.27 strokes per round. McM's top finish was third.
Rees picked up his first win as men's coach in the 2017-18 season, as the War Hawks won the NCCAA Central Regional. Sophomore Brendon Lowrance led McM with an average of 74.17 strokes per round on his way to being named honorable mention All-ASC. Sophomore Kendalyn Ferguson paced the McM women with an average of 86.0 strokes per round and two top 10s. McM's top team finish was third in the NCCAA Central Regional.
The War Hawks saw improvement in their second year under Rees, as they posted a top finish of second and cut one stroke off the team scoring average. Sam Sweeney led the team with a 77.00 scoring average with two a top five and two top 10s. The McM women posted a team average of 364.56 strokes per round, led by Arabella Cruz at an average of 81.0 strokes per round. Cruz finished with six top 10s and two top fives.
In his first season, the men posted a top finish of third at the Abilene Intercollegiate with Hunter Johnson leading the War Hawks with a 73.78 scoring average. On the women's side, senior Randi Hanfeld paced the team with an 82.92 scoring average and three top 10s.
Rees spent 16 seasons (1999-2015) as the head men’s coach at NCAA Division I UT-Arlington, where he was a three-time Southland Conference “Coach of the Year” and earned three SC championships. He produced three all-American golfers, 45 all-conference picks and 12 academic all-Americans at UTA.
Prior to joining the UT-Arlington staff, Rees spent three seasons (1996-99) as both the men’s and women’s head coach at Texas Lutheran University in Seguin. His teams earned three NAIA post-season berths and produced a total of 10 NAIA All-Americans, as he transitioned the TLU program from NAIA to NCAA Division III.
He also was the head men’s coach at Scottsdale (Ariz.) Community College for one season (1995-96), where he had the top-ranked JUCO team in the nation. Prior to that, he was an assistant for one season each at Arizona State (1994-95) and at Louisiana State (1993-94).
From 1989-93, Rees was the head coach at Emporia State University. At the time of his hire, he was the youngest-ever four-year collegiate head coach at just 21 years of age. His youth certainly was not an issue, as ESU won four conference championships and he was a four-time “Coach of the Year” during his tenure.
Rees played at Emporia State for two years (1987-89), earning a pair of Central State Intercollegiate Conference individual championships. He also played two years at John A. Logan Junior College (1985-87).
He earned his bachelor’s degree in business (1990) and master’s in health, physical education and recreation (1992) from Emporia State.
Rees' wife, Sandie MacGreggor Rees, grew up on their 140-year old ranch - The Harvey Ranch - north of Abilene. Sandie attended Albany High School and is a graduate of ACU, and is an elementary school teacher.
