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Luke Wheeler

Luke Wheeler

  Luke Wheeler is in his 5th year on staff at South Dakota Mines. He was hired on August 20, 2019, as the Director of Golf. He also serves as an Assistant Director of Athletic Communications. 

The golf program has taken substantial steps forward and made significant improvements under his direction and the record books reflect his influence.

CAREER AT A GLANCE
  • In addition to his duties as assistant director of golf (recruiting, game and practice planning, and other things), Wheeler also serves as an assistant director of athletic communications, primarily charged with assisting with coverage of the soccer, and women’s basketball programs, as well as photography.
  • The golf program has taken substantial steps forward, made massive improvements under his direction and the record books reflect his influence.
  • During his tenure, Wheeler has four wins on the women’s side and three on the men’s side, both school records and the total of seven wins is also a school record.
  • Under Wheeler’s leadership 11 individuals have won or tying for tournament wins, forcing a playoff (2).
  • The first two all-conference selections have been coached by Wheeler.
  • In addition, the first two golfers in program history to earn RMAC Golfer of the Week have been under Wheeler’s direction.
  • Wheeler stepped away from collegiate coaching for almost a decade, prior to being named the Director of Golf in 2019 at South Dakota Mines.
  • His last collegiate baseball coaching stop came at MSU Billings, where Wheeler was an assistant coach spanning 2006-10.
  • After National American University shut down its’ program, Wheeler headed to the juco route, working as an assistant baseball coach at Northeastern Junior College where he spent 2002-06 in the position.
  • The first full-time job in coaching for Wheeler was as an assistant baseball coach at National American University from 2001-02.
  • Early on in his coaching career, Wheeler was a baseball coach, starting out as a graduate assistant at Oklahoma Christian in 2001.
  • Wheeler stepped away from collegiate coaching for almost a decade, prior to being named the Director of Golf in 2019 at South Dakota Mines.
  • His last collegiate baseball coaching stop came at MSU Billings, where Wheeler was an assistant coach spanning 2006-10.
  • After National American University shut down its’ program, Wheeler headed to the juco route, working as an assistant baseball coach at Northeastern Junior College where he spent 2002-06 in the position.
  • The first full-time job in coaching for Wheeler was as an assistant baseball coach at National American University from 2001-02.
  • Early on in his coaching career, Wheeler was a baseball coach, starting out as a graduate assistant at Oklahoma Christian in 2001.
HARDROCKERS ON THE COURSE

2023-24
  • The women recorded a team victory when they were able to win the Hardrocker Fall invite.
  • Individually, the Hardrockers recorded one T1 finish when Rianna Garland did it at the Hardrocker Spring Invite.
  • Eight new school records were set individually and as a team.
2022-23
  • The Men’s team was able to pick up a team victory at their home Hardrocker Fall Invite and two additional second-place finishes, one at MSU Billings and the second at the Hardrocker Spring Invite.
  • Wheeler was able to lead the women to two wins and an additional second-place finish.
  • Overall, the teams and individuals set 15 new school records throughout the season.
2021-22
  • Wheeler led the men to their second team win under his tenure in the spring Hardrocker Invite, tying for the all-time lead.
  • As a team, the men set the new record for scoring average (307.39), fifth in national rating had the second highest finish percentage scored the most total birdies, eagles, best par 3, 4, and 5 scoring marks,
  • Wheeler led Bryce Howard and Joseph Vincent to historic seasons for the men’s program, with each moving into the record book in several categories.
  • Bryce Howard moved into the top-5 in scoring average, national rating, finish percentage, total birdies, total eagles, par-3, 4, and 5 scoring, low 36-hole total (Farmers Insurance Samuel Proal Invitational).
  • Howard also recorded an individual win, and an RMAC Golfer of the Week award, the first in program history.
  • Howard sits in second in career scoring average, wins and finish percentage, while at the top of the records in career par or better rounds, counting scores, and birdies.  
  • Vincent is in 4th all-time in scoring average, 5th in finish percentage, 3rd in counting scores, 5th in birdies, 1st in par 3 scoring, 2nd in par 4 scoring, 3rd in par 5 scoring
  • Roger Nakagawa also saw some success and substantial improvement from the fall to the spring, finding himself just outside the top-10 in season scoring average, 5th in par 3 scoring, 4th in par 4 and par 5 scoring.
  • The women’s team also made improvements and set many team records, including: Low Round (RMAC Championship Round 2 & 3) , Low 36 Hole Total (RMAC Championships Rounds 2 & 3),  Low 54 Hole Total (RMAC Championships).
  • Individually, Wheeler is helping Annika Schooler rewrite the record books for the women’s golf program, she currently holds the following places on the South Dakota Mines record books from the 2021-22 season: scoring average – 1st, national Rating – 1st, finish percentage – 2nd, counting scores – T-2nd, birdies – 1st, par 3 scoring – 1st, par 4 scoring – 1st, par 5 scoring – 2nd, 4 of 6 lowest Rounds, low 36 – 1st (Pack Classic), low 54 – 2nd (RMAC Women’s Golf Championship), career total birdies – 1st.
  • Rianna Garland heavily improved in the spring and is also all over the leaderboard after the season. She is 2nd in Scoring average, 3rd in national rating, 1st in counting scores, 2nd in par 3 and 4 scoring, and first in par 5 scoring. Garland also recorded the lowest round in program history, shooting a 74 in the first round of the RMAC Women’s Golf Championship, is 2nd in low 36 (RMAC Women’s Golf Championshp), and first in low 54 (RMAC Women’s Golf Championship). Garland is also 1st in career eagles.
2020-21
  • Wheeler helped Joseph Vincent and Bryce Howard to the best and 2nd best player scoring averages and national ratings in program history.
  • The duo is also tied for the most rounds recording par or better in program history in addition to Vincent also recording an individual win at the Dickinson State Invite.
  • Wheeler had a similar influence on the women’s program.
  • Annika Schooler and Rianna Garland recorded the 3rd and 4th best seasons in program history, while Abby Magee had the 14th best season.
  • Schooler and Garland landed in the top ten of the record books for national rating.
  • Garland recorded one of just four individual wins in program history after winning at the Hardrocker Invite in a playoff.
2019-2020
  • The steps forward were apparent, even in Wheeler’s COVID-19 shortened first year at the helm.
  • The Hardrocker Men recorded a team win at the Dickinson State Invite with Roger Nakagawa recording an individual win at the same tournament.
  • For the women, Larissa Powlowski recorded an individual win at the Dickinson State Invite, meanwhile, Emily Schimbeno and Nicole Schrader made it into the top-15 in birdies recorded in a season.
HARDROCKERS IN THE CLASSROOM
  • Braydon Jones earned just the fourth College Sports Communicators’ Academic All-America honor when he was named to the second team in 2023.
  • Rianna Garland and Jessalyn Shipp earned College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honors in 2023 in addition to Braydon Jones (twice) and Carson McDaniel on the men’s side.
  • Three women’s golfers have been named All-American Scholars by the Women’s Golf Coaches Association.
  • Four student-athletes have earned All-American Scholar awards from the Golf Coaches’ Association of America.
  • Braydon Jones has won two consecutive RMAC Summit Awards (2023, 2024), awarded to the golfer with the highest GPA at the RMAC Championships.
  • There have been 39 RMAC All-Academic honors since Wheeler took over, including a first team selection and the back-to-back Summit Awards for Braydon Jones. Since Fall of 2022, 11 student-athletes have posted individual semesters with 4.0 GPAs
  • The women’s team has had an above 3.0 GPA for the last three semesters, beginning in fall of 2022, while the men have recorded GPAs of above 3.3 for three straight semesters.
ATHLETIC CAREER
  • Played baseball at Seward County Community College from 1996-1998.
  • Played one year of Division I baseball, playing at the University of Southern Mississippi from 1998-1999.
  • Wheeler finished his collegiate career at Oklahoma Christian University, spending 1999-2000 with the baseball team.
THE WHEELER FILE
  • Wheeler earned his Associate in Arts degree in 1998 from Seward County Community College and his Bachelor of Science degree in physical education from Oklahoma Christian University in 2000.
  • Wheeler is a Rapid City native.
  • Wheeler and his wife Angie reside in Rapid City, with their three children, daughter Lillie, and sons Pryor and Lincoln.
LUKE WHEELER COACHING TIMELINE
  • 2019-pres. – South Dakota School of Mines & Technology (Director of Golf/Assistant Director of Athletic Communications)
  • 2006-2010 – Montana State University Billings (Assistant Baseball Coach)
  • 2002-2006 – Northeastern Junior College (Assistant Baseball Coach)
  • 2001-2002 – National American University (Assistant Baseball Coach)
  • 2001 – Oklahoma Christian University (Graduate Assistant Baseball Coach)