BATON ROUGE — LSU golfer Alexis Rather, who completed her playing career at LSU this past May, was named Thursday as an assistant golf coach at Ole Miss, joining the staff of head coach Michele Drinkard.
Rather, a four-year letter winner on the LSU women’s golf team, finished her career in style, helping lead the Lady Tigers to the NCAA Championships for the second time in three years, where LSU finished 15th. She chipped in for birdie from off the green on the first playoff hole for the final team qualifying spot in the NCAA Central Regional.
“In the state of Mississippi, Alexis’ name alone precedes here, and it is very exciting to have her join our golf family,” Drinkard said. “She brings with her to Ole Miss her experience as a player, her passion for the game and her infectious smile and personality.”
Rather, a native of Tupelo, Miss., played in all but one tournament during her four years on the team. She posted three top 10 and six top 20 performances.
“It’s kind of crazy how quickly it happened,” said Rather, who has been interning in the LSU Sports Information Office this summer. “I knew coaching was something I wanted to do, but I didn’t know if it was going to happen, and I wasn’t expecting it to happen two months after I finished playing. I have had great experiences at LSU in going to four NCAA Regionals and two NCAA Championships. Hopefully, my experience I’ve had at LSU will help me to help Ole Miss get to the next level.”
An excellent student-athlete Rather earned the National Golf Coaches Association Academic Award all four years of her career. In addition, she was a four-time member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll and a member of the SEC Freshman Academic Honor Roll in 2004.
Rather was named as LSU’s recipient on the SEC Community Service Team and was heavily involved her entire LSU career with CHAMPS service projects throughout the community. She graduated from LSU with a degree in Communications and is completing her masters in Sports Management.
“It has been truly an honor and a pleasure to have Alexis Rather a part of the LSU golf family for the past five years,” said LSU Coach Karen Bahnsen. “She has a wonderful family and for her to have the opportunity to go back closer to home to help coach the Rebels is a wonderful thing. On and off the course, she has truly been an asset to this LSU program and I knew that in the back of her mind she was thinking about making a move into coaching once her playing days were over. That this situation would open up for her this quickly is truly remarkable and I look forward to having her part of the outstanding coaches that are working together in the Southeastern Conference.”