Roger Ellis is in his 15th season as the head coach of the Lindenwood men’s golf team in 2012-13. He also helps oversee the successful women’s golf program at Lindenwood.
Last season, Ellis guided the Lions through their transition season from the NAIA to the NCAA Division II level. Lindenwood finished third or better in every competition during the season, including second at every MIAA event it competed in. The Lions won both the Southeast Kentucky Intercollegiate and the Drury Panther Invitational.
While a member of the NAIA and HAAC, the Lions won 12 out of a possible 13 HAAC Championships since Ellis took over the program. Lindenwood advanced to the NAIA National Championship all 13 seasons and had six top-15 showings at nationals, including a program-best seventh-place finish in 2007.
In 2010-11, Lindenwood won its 11th straight conference championship in its final season in the HAAC. Greg MacAulay was the medalist at the conference championship and Oscar Isacsson was the HAAC Golfer of the Year. All five Lions earned all-conference honors as Lindenwood won the meet by 51 shots. At nationals, the Lions finished 21st led by Erik Isacsson.
In 2009-10, Lindenwood had one of its top team finishes in program history when it came in 11th at nationals. The Lions had a balanced effort with its top four golfers finishing within four shots of each other, and all four leading or tying for the team lead for at least one round. Lindenwood also won the HAAC Championship that year after it broke 300 for every round of the tournament.
In 2008-09, Ellis led the men’s golf program to a HAAC championship, as well as first place finishes at the NAIA Preview Invitational, Spring Hill Invitational, Indiana Wesleyan Invitational and the Baker Spring Invitational. In addition, the Lions placed one golfer on the second team All-American team and finished the season ranked 20th in the NAIA final rankings.
In 2007-08, the Lions again won the HAAC Championships to go along with five first-place finishes throughout the regular season. In addition, the Lions finished second in the Region V tournament and earned a trip to the NAIA national tournament. The Lions would finish in 18th place at the national tournament and eighth in the NAIA final team rankings.
2006-07 brought another HAAC tournament championship, a NAIA Region V tournament championship, and a seventh-place finish at the NAIA national tournament to go along with a final ranking of 15th in the national poll. The seventh-place national showing was the best in school history as Lindenwood had four golfers place in the top-40 at the meet.
To go along with his duties as the men’s golf coach, Ellis also led the women’s program from 1999-2008. That program won nine out of a possible 10 conference titles in that span. Lindenwood also won three straight titles while Ellis was the program director for the women’s program. Ellis’ women’s teams had three straight top-10 national finishes from 2001-03, including third-place in 2002 and 2003. He coached Itzel Nieto to an individual NAIA title in 2002.
Off the course at Lindenwood, Ellis currently serves as the Dean of the School of Business and Entrepreneurship.
Ellis holds a bachelor of science in civil engineering from the University of Missouri-Rolla and a JD degree from the University of Arkansas. Prior to coming to Lindenwood in 1997, Ellis practiced law for 18 years.
Ellis and his wife Peggy have a daughter, Elizabeth, and two grandchildren, Alexis and Alex.
