Jere Pelletier Position: Head Coach Alma Mater: New Mexico 1977

The UTEP women's golf program has made tremendous strides under Jere Pelletier, the 1995 WAC Coach of the Year. During Pelletier's tenure the Miners have won seven tournament titles, while finishing in the top three at 20 events.

Equally as impressive, his team has enjoyed success away from the playing field. Under his leadership the Miners have regularly been recognized for their team grade point average and leadership in the community.

UTEP is coming off its best fall season under Pelletier. The Miners were ranked 11th in the region by Golfstat. Senior Gerina Mendoza was rated 29th nationally with a 73.5 stroke average and claimed medalist honors at the ORU Shootout in Tulsa, Okla.

Mendoza and Jullianne Kim each earned second team All-Conference USA honors during the 2005-06 campaign. The Miners took the championship of the Red Rock Invitational in Sedona, Ariz.

The 2004-05 Miners notched a runner-up performance at the Marilynn Smith Sunflower Invitational.

Despite having just one senior and no juniors at his disposal in 2003-04, Pelletier orchestrated a trio of top-three finishes, including a team championship at the Lindsey Classic in Bryant, Ark. For the second year in a row, senior Annie Mallory was tabbed second team All-WAC.

Pelletier coached his 2002-03 team to five top-five showings. The Miners took second at the Marilynn Smith Sunflower Invitational and the Bronco Fall Classic.

The 2001-02 Miners won the Islander Invitational in Corpus Christi, Texas, one of four top-five showings for UTEP on the year. Junior Linda Chen was a second team All-WAC honoree, as the Miners snagged a fourth-place standing at the conference championship.

In 2000-01 UTEP, with just one returning letterwinner (Chen) on the roster, finished in the top-10 at four tournaments.

The Miners were rated as high as 25th in the nation by Golfweek during the 1999-00 season. UTEP was led by Kristen MacLaren, one of the most-decorated performers in school history. MacLaren won three tournament titles as a Miner, earned All-WAC recognition twice, and participated in the NCAA Championships as a sophomore and senior.

Pelletier has also tutored Nicco Chilek, who captured All-WAC honors in 1995, 1996 and 1997.

A 1977 graduate of New Mexico, Pelletier turned pro that year. He played in the Rotary Pro-Am, El Paso Country Club (first place), New Mexico Open (fourth place), Pro Sun Country Section PGA (second place), McDonald's Matches Sun Country Section PGA, Hilton Open (fifth place), Tiejeras Arroyo Invitational (first place), Albuquerque City Championship (fifth place), New Mexico State Amateur Championship (fifth place) and Arroyo del Oso (club champion).

Pelletier, who graduated from the Professional Golf Association Business School, Rules Seminar and Teaching Seminar, is a member of the PGA of America, Sun Country Section PGA Golf Digest Panel and Top 100 Golf Courses.

As owner of the Nevel Meade Pro Shop, Jere set up all golf operations for running a public course in rural Kentucky. While manager of Puerto del Sol Municipal Golf Course, he aided in the remodeling of the par-three course into a regulation nine-hole course with a state-of-the-art driving range and teaching facility. He received Merchandiser of the Year awards in 1983 and 1987.

Pelletier was born in Spokane, Wash. He has two children, Katie and Heather.