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The Whitney Hocutt File |
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Hometown: Claremore, Okla. |
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Education: Rogers State (B.S.), '14; East Central (M.Ed.), '15 |
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Coaching Background |
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2017-Pres. |
Rogers State, Head Coach |
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2015-17 |
Miami High School, Head Coach |
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2014-15 |
Rogers State, Assistant Coach |
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Career Records |
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All-Time: |
759-239 (.761) |
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RSU Record: |
759-239 (.761) |
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Postseason: |
71-61 (.538) |
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By The Numbers |
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3 - National Tournament Appearances |
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2 - All-Americans |
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3 - Conference Players of the Year |
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10 - Team Victories |
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8 - All-Region Selections |
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12 - All-Conference Selections |
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10 - Individual Victories |
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22 - All-American Scholar Team Selections |
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11 - Athlete of the Week Winners |
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41 - Top-3 Team Finishes |
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Championships/Honors |
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2022 MIAA Coach of the Year |
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2021 WGCA Central Region Coach of the Year |
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2021 MIAA Coach of the Year |
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2019 Claremore Progress 40 Under Forty |
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2014 Hillcat Award (Player) |
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Whitney Hocutt wrapped up her seventh season as the head women's golf coach for her alma mater at Rogers State in 2023-24. Hocutt was a student-athlete and assistant coach previously for the RSU golf program.
Under Hocutt's direction, the Hillcats have set program and individual records over the last six seasons.
In 2023-24, Hocutt guided the Hillcats back to the NCAA National Championships for the third time in four seasons after finishing in third and hosting the NCAA Central Region Championships at Hillcrest Country Club in Bartlesville, Okla. At the Region Championship, Lydia Sitorus won the individual title by five strokes after shooting 214 (-2) over the two rounds. During the regular season, RSU captured the team time at the Hillcat Classic and also put together five other top 3 finishes with Sitorus winning the individual title.The Hillcats tied their best finish in the MIAA Championships with a runner-up finish.
In addition to earning their third-straight berth in the NCAA Central Region Championship in 2022-23, Hocutt guided her team to a new 36-hole school record at the Newman Spring Invitational this season. Ellen Loving also broke the individual school 36-hole record, shooting 132 (-12) and winning the individual title at the same tournament. They also won the annual Hillcat Classic and put together five other top 3 finishes in the regular season. The Hillcats posted their best finish in the MIAA Championships finishing in second place.
The Hillcats continued to set new standards in 2021-22, with Hocutt leading RSU back to the NCAA National Championships for the second-straight year.
This season saw the Hillcats capture six team victories, including a pair of individual victories. Hocutt coached Jessica Green to All-Region honors and her second MIAA Golfer of the Year award. Additionally, she helped guide Lydia Sitorus to All-Region and MIAA Freshman of the Year honors.
Rogers State reached new heights in 2020-21, as Hocutt guided the Hillcats to their first trip to the NCAA Regionals, where they finished in the top three to earn a spot in the NCAA National Championships in Dearborn, Michigan.
In 2020-21, Hocutt led the Hillcats to a pair of team victories, as well as two individual titles. Junior Jessica Green was named an All-American and also won the NCAA Regional Individual Championship.
In 2019-20, the Hillcats were on a roll in year three of the Hocutt era with a pair of victories, a second and a third place finish to lead the results in seven tournaments prior to the season being canceled by the NCAA due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Rogers State finished in the top half of the field in every tournament, never finishing worse than seventh.
The Hillcats claimed a team victory at the NSU Women's Classic in the second tournament of the year in early September, the program's first victory since April of 2016. Sophomore Marybeth Bellnap tied for medalist honors at the event as the Hillcats defeated 13 other teams. In late September, Hocutt guided the Hillcats to a second-place finish at the MIAA Fall Preview and coached sophomore Raquel Flores to a school record 66 (-6) in the second round as she finished second overall. The Hillcats closed out the year with a victory at the Diffee Ford Lincoln Invite, defeating 16 teams. Junior Jessica Green led the way for the Hillcats and shot a pair of 72s to take individual medalist honors for the tournament, the first outright victory for a Rogers State golfer since March of 2018.
Under the guidance of Hocutt, the Hillcats had six individuals earn top-five finishes and five par or better rounds, both an increase from the previous season despite the shortened year. The 10 top-10 finishes in the shortened season is still a new best during the Hocutt era. The Hillcats also had three golfers (Bellnap, Flores and Green) earn MIAA Athlete of the Week honors.
Hocutt was also recognized off the golf course in 2019, as she was named to the Claremore Progress 40 Under Forty list in August for her work with the RSU and in the Claremore community.
In her first season in charge of the RSU women's golf program, Hocutt guided the Hillcats to their first-ever regional ranking and an individual appearance in the NCAA Division II West Super Regional. Hocutt's instruction led to the first All-American in program history as Jess Whitting went on to earn Heartland Conference Freshman of the Year honors along with being named to the All-Heartland Conference team.
Hocutt has also pushed for the development of the Hillcats in the classroom and has overseen three Hillcats earn WGCA All-American Scholar honors.
Prior to Hocutt's return to Rogers State, she served as the head girl's golf coach at Miami High School for two seasons.
The local Claremore, Oklahoma product started her coaching career on the Hill as an assistant men's and women's golf coach for former head coach Josh Fosdick. During her one season as an assistant coach at RSU, the Hillcats won a combined three tournaments between the two programs as the men never placed lower than eighth at an event and the women turned in top-six results at 10 of 11 tournaments. Four Hillcats earned All-Heartland Conference accolades with Alex Marsh being named the Heartland Conference Freshman of the Year.
Hocutt joined the coaching staff following a four-year playing career with the Hillcats. While at RSU, Hocutt was a three-time selection as the most valuable player for the women's golf team and was honored with the Hillcat Award from the athletic department. She led the team to four tournament titles over her four-year career. Hocutt earned a spot on the Dean's Honor Roll in both 2010 and 2011 and was a member of the RSU Student-Athlete Advisory Committee for three years.
Hocutt earned a bachelor's degree in medical/molecular biology from RSU in 2014 and completed a master's degree in education/sport administration from East Central in 2015.
Whitney Hocutt's All-Time Collegiate Head-Coaching Record
| Year |
Overall |
Conf. Finish |
Season Notes |
| 2017-18 |
101-48 (.678) |
3rd of 9 |
NCAA Regional Appearance (Ind. - Jess Whitting)
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| 2018-19 |
100-47 (.680) |
5th of 9 |
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| 2019-20^ |
87-19 (.821) |
n/a* |
*NCAA canceled season in March due to COVID-19 pandemic; Two Tournament Victories
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| 2020-21 |
89-25 (.745) |
3rd of 10 |
NCAA National Championship Appearance; NCAA Regional Championship (Ind. Jess Green); Two Tournament Victories |
| 2021-22 |
147-29 (.835) |
4th of 11 |
NCAA National Championship Appearance; Six Tournament Victories |
| 2022-23 |
109-33 (.768) |
2nd of 11 |
NCAA Region Championship Appearance; One Tournament Victory |
| 2023-24 |
126-38 (.768) |
2nd of 11 |
NCAA National Championship Appearance; NCAA Regional Championship (Ind. Lydia Sitorus); One Tournament Victory |
^Rogers State began play in the MIAA
