Dave Pezzino has completed five seasons as the head coach of men's golf at the University of Connecticut and was named to the position on August 24, 2007.
The Pezzino era at UConn has been marked by a significant upgrade to the competition schedule. "I have tried to challenge our team with the schedule and I think it has really paid off for us", said coach Pezzino. "By playing tough competition and great layouts, our squad learns how to compete and, more importantly, learns how to win. This year will be a continuation of that and will have us ready to be a factor at New England's and at the BIG EAST."
Under Pezzino, UConn has had 20 players named BIG EAST Academic All-Stars, two All-Conference picks, five All-Mortheast Regional selections, and four All-New England picks.
The Fall of 2009 saw the Huskies capture the New England Championship, the first title under Pezzino. Jeb Buchanan also became the first individual medalist under Coach Pezzino when he won the Adams Cup of Newport by shooting three successive scores of 69. He was also named the Golfweek Magazine National Player of the Week. UConn finished sixth in the team competition against a standout field at the Adams Cup, despite having only four players for the final two rounds due to injury.
In the Fall of 2011, Pezzino and the Huskies captured another tournament title, winning the Hartford Hawks Invitational by eight strokes as Buchanan again won individual medalist honors. That victory was the start of a solid three-tourney stretch that saw the Huskies finish third at The Connecticut Cup and second at The Classic at Shelter Harbor.
Pezzino came to UConn after spending one year as an assistant coach at the University of Illinois and 11 previous seasons as a head coach at the collegiate level. Pezzino (pronounced Pezz-EENO) spent seven years, from August of 1999 to May of 2006, at Florida International as the head coach of the women's golf program. He led FIU to four tournament victories and ten individual titles during his tenure and coached ten All-Sun Belt Conference selections, including 2001 NGCA All-American Michelle Simpson. He had three student-athletes earn Academic All-American recognition and five former team members that are currently playing professionally.
During his time at Florida International, Pezzino also worked at the Jim McLean Golf School at Doral Golf Resort, one of the premier golf teaching facilities in the world. He earned the status of master instructor, one of few instructors in the country to reach that level for McLean. "Dave Pezzino did an outstanding job working for me at Doral," said McLean. "He has a keen interest in the development of young people and will do a great job for the University of Connecticut golf program."
Pezzino played his collegiate golf at St. Thomas University in Miami, where he became a student-head coach during his senior year of 1996-97. Upon graduation, he continued to serve as the head men's coach at St. Thomas until August of 1999. He led St. Thomas to consecutive NAIA National Championship appearances in 1998 and 1999, and was named Florida Sun Conference Coach of the Year in '98, leading the squad to the conference title. He coached six individuals to all-conference honors during his tenure.
Pezzino has worked with three of Golf Digest's Top 100 Instructors, and five of his former student-athletes are now golf professionals playing on various tours. His golf background also includes conducting junior golf clinics for Miami-Dade County and working for the South Florida PGA Section as a Rules Official.
Pezzino was born on 3/22/72 in North Haven, Conn. and spent seven years living in Connecticut during his adolescent years. He attended Northern Highlands Regional High School in Allendale, N.J. while living in Mahwah, N.J.. He earned a bachelor's degree in sports administration from St. Thomas in 1997.
Dave and his wife, Kristy were married in 1998. They are the parents of two sets of twins; Joseph and Matthew, born 2/26/04, and Daniel and Kaitlin, born 4/23/09.
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