Adelphi University Director of Athletics and Campus Recreation Danny McCabe officially announced the hiring of Bill Bresnan, Jr. as the next head coach of the women's golf program on Feb. 14, 2022.
Bresnan, a first-time collegiate head coach, becomes the third head coach in the team's history.
"We are happy to welcome Bill to the Adelphi family," McCabe said. "Bill has been part of Long Island golf for the past 25 years and has a great reputation as a teacher of the game. His passion for golf and teaching will help our student-athletes maximize their talents."
In his inaugural season, he coached the Panthers to a tie for first place at the very first tournament at the Le Moyne Fall Invitational. After taking two more top three finishes into the NE10 Championships, the 'Cats earned their best score in program history at the tournament with a second place finish. Bresnan helped organize and run the first-ever tournament hosted by Adelphi, the Panther Battle at the Bay, on April 24th and 25th of 2023. The Brown and Gold earned first place with his own Ilaria Ponziani winning the event individually. Ponziani was additionally named NE10 First Team All-Conference following the season, the first female golfer in program history to do so.
Following up in the 2023-24 campaign, Bresnan built on the team's momentum, earning a second place finish at the Saint Rose Fall Invitational in September. The very next week at the NE10 Championships, the team earned a third place finish, with three golfers finishing in the top 15. Ilaria Ponziani also had a highlight senior season, finishing the highest amongst her teammates in nearly every tournament. In addition, she added another tournament victory at the Saint Anselm Orlando Invitational where the team finished second overall on March 25th and 26th of 2024. To highlight the season, Filippa Schulze Doering was named NE10 Rookie of the Year for the first time in program history since 2020-21. Ponziani was also named First Team All-Conference for the second consecutive season, extending her record-setting career.
Bresnan continued to have success in his third season, being named the NE10 Coach of the Year for 2024-25. After finishing second at the WCU Battlefield Classic to open the campaign, the Cats placed third in the NE10 Championship for the second year in a row. One week later, Filippa Schulze Doering won the first individual championship of her career, helping Adelphi win the Hawk Invitational. The Panthers closed out the fall portion of their schedule with a second place finish, as Schulze Doering tied for first. To start the spring, Jenny Kim, Schulze Doering and Ivory Drusch all placed in the top five, with the team capturing first place at Saint Anselm's Florida Invitational. After a pair of fourth place finishes, the Brown and Gold finished as the runners-up to conclude its season at the Hartford Hawks Spring Invitational. Ivory Drusch was named NE10 Co-Rookie of the Year and Schulze Doering was named first team all conference.
Bresnan is a graduate of Nassau Community College, where he played on the golf team, and Mississippi State University, where he graduated with a marketing degree.
Since then, he has worked with golfers of all ages and skill levels as an instructor, including PGA and LPGA Tour winners. On the course himself, Bresnan competed in a number of Gateway Section PGA events, finishing with a 74 average. He qualified for the Long Island Open in 1998 and the New York State Open in 2007.
Bresnan has spent the last 23 years at Colonial Springs Golf Club in Farmingdale, N.Y., most recently as the Director of Golf Operations. This promotion came after 20 years as the Head Golf Professional.
He has also spent time on the Metropolitan PGA Board of Directors and provided golf clinics to local high schools.
"I would like to thank Adelphi University and Athletic Director Danny McCabe for the opportunity to coach the Adelphi women's golf team," Bresnan said. "Coaching at the collegiate level has always been a goal of mine. The team is looking forward to a successful spring in the classroom and competing on the course."
