Elon women’s golf coach Chris Dockrill retires after 25 years

Chris Dockrill retired after the 2025-26 season, closing a nearly three-decade run as Elon’s women’s golf coach and leaving behind one of the school’s most consistent athletic programs. Elon announced the move Monday, one day after the Phoenix finished its season at the Coastal Athletic Association championship in Southport.

Dockrill became the program’s head coach in 1999 and guided Elon to more than 25 tournament titles and 22 top-five finishes in conference championship events. In the eight seasons Elon has played in the CAA, his teams collected seven tournament championships and 40 top-five finishes in 76 tournaments, numbers that underline how rarely the Phoenix slipped far from contention.

The final chapter came at The Clubs at St. James, where Elon finished fourth at the 2026 CAA Championship, played April 17-19. Ashley Lafontaine tied for ninth at 11-over 227 after rounds of 77, 75 and 75, while Kelly Zhao tied for 14th at 14-over 230. College of Charleston won the team title, UNC Wilmington’s Victoria Levy took individual medalist honors at even par, and Campbell finished ahead of Elon as well.

Dockrill’s legacy at Elon stretches well beyond the scoreboards. A member of the Elon class of 1986, he was inducted into the university’s Sports Hall of Fame for his playing career and was a former All-American for the men’s program. As a player, he helped Elon reach the 1986 NAIA National Tournament and tied for fifth individually. He also spent two years as an assistant coach on the men’s side under Bill Morningstar before taking over the women’s team.

His teams were also known for classroom success. Elon said 27 student-athletes earned WGCA All-America Scholar recognition a combined 54 times since 2000 under Dockrill’s direction. He was named conference coach of the year twice, taking Big South Conference honors in 2000 and Southern Conference honors in 2007.

The transition now falls to a staff that already has some continuity. Elon hired LoraLie Cowart as an assistant coach in August 2025, and her first season on staff included the Phoenix’s fourth-place CAA finish and an Elon Invitational victory in September. With Dockrill gone, Elon will look to keep a program that has been unusually stable for more than 25 years from losing its footing.