Georgia Tech golf coach Bruce Heppler to retire after season

Georgia Tech golf coach Bruce Heppler announced Friday that he will retire following the 2025-26 season, his 31st coaching Tech golf.

“Georgia Tech is a special place, and to be a part of this school, this athletics department and this historic golf program has been an honor,” Heppler said in a release from Tech. “It’s meaningful to me that my career as a head coach, and all of the relationships that come with that, are tied to one place — Georgia Tech.

“To the men that have come through our program: I’ve had the privilege of having a front-row seat to when many of your dreams came true, and to see the growth in each one of you. I hope that maybe we’ve altered your course in some small way — not just as golfers, but as people, husbands and fathers.

“I’d also like to acknowledge the generosity of those who have donated to our program over the years. Nothing could have been achieved without those resources that you provided. (Former athletic director) Homer Rice told me when he hired me that I won’t find a place that people love more than here at Georgia Tech, and that has proven to be true. The trophies will stay here, but the relationships will travel. The goal when I arrived on The Flats in 1995 was to leave things better than I found them, and I hope that is the case.”

Since taking over as Tech’s coach in 1995, Heppler’s Yellow Jackets have appeared in 27 consecutive NCAA regionals (every season since 1998) and 22 NCAA Championships, and they have achieved four national runner-up finishes. Since 2000, Tech has finished outside the top 10 in college golf’s major polls only five times.

Heppler’s 73 tournament wins as Tech’s coach include six NCAA regional championships, most recently in 2022 and 2023.

Tech has won 14 ACC championships (most recently in 2023) during Heppler’s tenure, which is the third most by any coach in ACC men’s golf history. He is a 10-time ACC coach of the year.