Arizona State’s Armen Kirakossian has been honored with the 2019 Jan Strickland Outstanding Assistant Coach Award presented by TaylorMade Golf Company. TaylorMade has sponsored the award since its inception in 2003.
The Strickland Award is presented to the NCAA Division I, II, III, NAIA or NJCAA assistant coach who excels in working with their student-athletes not just on the course, but also in the classroom.
MORE: Former Arizona State golfers reminisce as home course closes
Kirakossian has been with the Sun Devil men’s program for the last two seasons after spending the previous two years as an assistant at Pepperdine. Before Pepperdine, Kirakossian was the head coach at his alma mater, Texas Pan American. Arizona State has won seven tournaments in the last two years, including five runner-up finishes this season.
Here’s what Kirakossian had to say about the award, via a press release:
“What a humbling honor it is to be named the Jan Strickland Award recipient. I can’t thank the players enough for the amazing relationships and the effort they give everyday and Arizona State University for giving me the opportunity to do what I love at a place with such a high commitment to excellence. Big thank you to both head coaches Matt Thurmond and Michael Beard for their friendship and mentorship. They have both shaped me into the coach I am today and I am forever grateful of that. To my wife for being my greatest supporter, always standing by my side. I would also like to extend a huge thank you to the GCAA, TaylorMade, and the Strickland Award Committee for their hard work and time during the selection process. It is such a privilege to coach college golf and I wake up every day with a passion to build the program and help our student-athletes achieve their dreams.”
The Sun Devils are the No. 1 seed in the Stanford regional for this year’s NCAA Championship. Regionals will take place May 13-15.
