LAS VEGAS – The inaugural Kim Evans Award was handed out Monday at the 2018 Golf Coaches Association of America and Women's Golf Coaches Association Conventions.
The award – named after legendary Auburn women's golf coach, Kim Evans – will be given annually, along with the prestigious Labron Harris Sr. Award, to the college or high school coach and Class A PGA Professional whose support of the game through teaching, coaching and involvement in the community has helped ensure the continued growth of the game and who represents the finest qualities the game has to offer.
"I'm honored, simple as that," said Evans, who was in Las Vegas for the event. "I can't even express how I feel. I'm proud to be a member of the PGA of America and to have coached at Auburn University, the best university in the nation."
This year's winner was Jeanne Sutherland, the head coach of the SMU women's golf team.
Congrats to the recipient of the inaugural Kim Evans Award, Jeanne Sutherland of @SMUGolfW! pic.twitter.com/cgXS7jWjfF
— Women's Golf Coaches (@WGCAGOLF) December 3, 2018
As for Evans, her reputation speaks for itself. At Auburn , she was a five-time SEC Coach of the Year (1996, 2001, '02, '09, '12), a three-time Regional Coach of the Year (1996, 2001, '02), and her eight SEC titles are tied for the second-most by a coach in program history. She led the Tigers to a tie for second nationally in 2002 and a third-place finish in 2005.
In her 21 seasons on the Plains, Evans compiled a 2,586-999-46 record while leading the Auburn program to 36 tournament victories and 96 top-three finishes in 223 tournaments. She was inducted into the National Golf Coaches Hall of Fame in 2008.
Evans was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in May 2013 just before the Tigers were set to begin postseason play. She went through chemotherapy at UAB and has been cancer-free since October 2013. Since then, she has been active in promoting awareness of ovarian cancer throughout the state of Alabama and around the southeast.