John Fields, the longtime head coach of The University of Texas men’s golf program and one of the most accomplished coaches in collegiate golf history, has been selected as a New Mexico Sports Hall of Fame inductee. Fields’ career has been defined by leadership, sustained excellence, and a commitment to building a championship culture at every level of the sport.
As he enters his 29th season at Texas during the 2024–25 campaign, Fields has firmly established the Longhorns as a national powerhouse. Since taking over the program in August 1997, he has guided Texas to 22 NCAA Championship appearances, including 10 top-five finishes on college golf’s biggest stage. His teams captured NCAA national championships in 2012 and 2022, with additional runner-up finishes in 2016 and 2019.
Texas’ consistency under Fields has been unmatched nationally. The Longhorns have reached the NCAA quarterfinals seven times over the past 12 years and currently hold the nation’s longest active streak of 17 consecutive NCAA Championship appearances, a testament to the program’s stability and competitive standard.
Fields’ individual accolades mirror his team’s success. He has been named Golfweek Men’s National Coach of the Year three times (2012, 2016, 2022) and has earned Big 12 Coach of the Year honors nine times. Under his leadership, Texas has won nine Big 12 Conference championships, including the 2024 title, and produced seven individual Big 12 champions.
Beyond trophies, Fields has been instrumental in developing elite talent. He has coached two National Players of the Year—Beau Hossler and Doug Ghim—and four National Freshmen of the Year, including Scottie Scheffler, David Gossett, Brandon Stone, and Cole Hammer. In total, 27 Longhorns have earned All-America honors during Fields’ tenure, with standouts such as Jordan Spieth, Dylan Frittelli, and the Coody brothers among those who thrived under his guidance.
The 2023–24 season exemplified Fields’ coaching philosophy, as Texas recorded three team victories, including the Big 12 Championship and the NCAA Austin Regional, while advancing once again to the NCAA Championship. Fields was recognized for the campaign as the Golf Pride Grips Central Region Coach of the Year.
Before arriving in Austin, Fields laid the groundwork for his legendary career at the University of New Mexico, where he built the Lobos into a national contender. During his tenure, UNM advanced to the NCAA Championship nine times in a 10-year span, and Fields earned four Western Athletic Conference Coach of the Year awards.
A native of Las Cruces, New Mexico, Fields was also a four-year letterman at UNM, making his Hall of Fame induction a full-circle moment. His influence on the sport spans decades and generations, and his legacy is rooted not only in championships but in the players and programs he has shaped.
In addition to his New Mexico Sports Hall of Fame honor, Fields was inducted into the Texas Athletics Hall of Honor in September 2024, further cementing his standing as one of the most successful and respected coaches in the history of collegiate golf.