DETROIT (7/2/2019) -- University of Detroit Mercy head men's golf coach Luke LaFave '02 has announced that he is stepping down from his position to spend more time with his family and to focus on his golf event business. 

"It was a pleasure spending the last five years getting to know and coaching some great student-athletes," said coach LaFave. "I feel as though I will carry on quality relationships with every player on the team from my time. I truly enjoy coaching this great game and will continue to keep interest in the program."

LaFave -- who was a standout Titan earning All-Horizon League honors and helping the program to three championships as a student-athlete -- has spent the last five years as head coach of the Titans and that was after serving as an assistant coach since 2009. 

"I would like to thank Luke for his service with the men's golf program," said Vowels. "He was a remarkable student-athlete and coach with the Titans and we wish him well in his future endeavors."

He took over as the head golf coach in 2014 and in his time, he helped mentor a pair of Horizon League Freshmen of the Years in Scott Sparks in 2017 and Anthony Occhiuto in 2019. Five Titans also earned All-HL honors and Detroit Mercy would post a tournament win capturing the Dayton Flyers Fall Invitational in 2015, while Kyle Gaines won the Bulldog Florida Invitational in 2017.

His teams were also true student-athletes finishing with GPA's above 3.0 as a team in all five seasons and earning the Team Academic Award from the Golf Coaches Association of America every year and the school's 2016 Team Excellence Award for recording a 3.608 GPA. 

As an assistant coach, he helped the 2009 squad to a HL title as well as runner-up efforts in 2012 and 2014. He also served as an assistant during the 2004-05 season, one in which the Titans went on to win another league crown.

As a student-athlete, LaFave claimed fourth as a freshman at the 1999 league championships earning All-Conference and MCC Newcomer of the Year recognition in the process in leading the red, white and blue to victory. He was on the winning 2001 team and was also second individually at the 2002 league championships, claiming a berth on the All-Tournament Team and helping the Titans to their second straight appearance in the NCAA Golf Regionals. He would win the 2002 President's Award as Detroit Mercy's most outstanding senior student-athlete.
 
A national search for his replacement is currently underway.