Chris Port
Head Coach | 13th Season
Chris Port is in his 13th season as head coach of the Jennies Golf team after starting the program during the 2012-13 school year.
Port has continually led the Jennies to new heights during his tenure.
In 2021-22, UCM finished runner-up at the NCAA-II Central Regional in Hot Springs, Ark., to qualify for the NCAA-II Women's Golf Championship for the second time in program history. UCM went on to finish a program-best 14th at the NCAA-II Championship in Gainesville, Ga. The Jennies tied for their best finish all-time at the MIAA Women's Golf Championship in Newton, Kan., placing second, with sophomore Claire Solovic winning the MIAA Women's Golf Individual Championship. Solovic, in addition to Rosie Klausner and Nicole Rallo earned All-MIAA honors, with Klausner a unanimous first team honoree, Solovic a second team selection and Rallo an honorable mention recipient. Klausner and Solovic were both named to the WGCA All-Central Region Team. It was Klausner's third all-region nod and Solovic's first.
Despite a shortened season in 2019-20, Jennies Golf still had two WGCA All-Region selections with Sobaski becoming a two-time winner and Rosie Klausner earning her first.
The Jennies qualified for their first ever NCAA National Championship Tournament in 2018-19. They took a 15th place team finish after finishing fourth in the regional. UCM also had their highest finish at the MIAA Tournament, finishing second. Two Jennies made the All-MIAA team, Olivia Sobaski and Rosie Klausner. Klausner was also chosen as the MIAA Freshman of the Year and Coach Port earned his first MIAA Coach of the Year. Following the season, Sobaski became the first player in team history to earn a WGCA All-Region award.
The 2017-18 season set the stage for the 2018-19 Jennies. Sophomore Olivia Sobaski earned her second All-MIAA award and is the first Jennie in team history to be named to the First Team. She also qualified for that NCAA National Championships as an individual, the first time UCM has been represented at the National Tournament. The Jennies finished fifth at the MIAA Tournament for the third straight year and eighth at the regional tournament for the second straight. Elizabeth Leath was also named an All-MIAA Honorable Mention.
In 2016-17, he led the Jennies to another fifth place finish at the MIAA Championships and their second straight appearance in the NCAA-II Super Regional, where they placed eighth. Freshman Olivia Sobaski was named MIAA Freshman of the Year while earning Second Team All-MIAA honors and junior Taelyn Entriken was Honorable Mention All-MIAA.
In 2015-16, he led the Jennies to a fifth place finish at the MIAA Championships and their first ever appearance in the NCAA-II Super Regional, where they placed 12th. Freshman Elizabeth Leath earned Second Team All-MIAA honors, with sophomore Taelyn Entriken earning Honorable Mention accolades.
The Jennies placed 10th at the MIAA Championships in the program's first season in 2012-13 before placing fifth in each of the 2013-14, 14-15, and 16-17 seasons. The Jennies finished in a program-best third place at the UMSL Triton Fall Invitational in 2014-15 and placed in the top 10 in all 11 events last season. UCM brought home its first team title in school history when they won the Upper Iowa Invite in the 2016-17 season.
He coached Kelly Welker to the first All-MIAA selection in Jennies Golf history when she was named to the All-Conference Second Team following the 2013-14 season. She also went on to earn honorable mention honors after the 2014-15 season.
During his tenure, 11 players have been named Women's Golf Coaches Association (WGCA) All-American Scholars. The Jennies have had 71 named to the MIAA Academic Honor Roll, nine Jennies have earned MIAA Scholar-Athlete honors and six more have earned MIAA Academic Excellence Awards. Under his direction, Elizabeth Leath has twice been named a CoSIDA Academic All-District golfer and an Academic All-American in 2018.
Port is no stranger to Central Missouri. He played golf for the Mules from 1990-92 under head coach Tim Poe and has worked at Mules National Golf Club since 1995, including the last eight years as the Head Golf Professional.
Port graduated from Central Missouri in 1992 with a bachelor’s degree in political science. He spent three years as an assistant golf professional at the St. Louis Country Club in St. Louis, Mo. before returning to Warrensburg. He has been a golf professional for 23 years and a Class A member of the Professional Golfers Association of America since 1997.
Port resides in Warrensburg and has a daughter, Ellie.
