By Ryan Herrington
The vacancy in the men's coaching job at Oklahoma State didn't last long and the search didn't stretch far as athletic director Mike Holder announced Tuesday that former Cowboy standout and current Cowgirl women's coach Alan Bratton had been picked to take over the men's program.
Bratton becomes just the fourth men's coach in school history, replacing Mike McGraw, who was dismissed from the job June 21 after eight seasons.
Holder also announced that Courtney Jones would replace Bratton as the women's head coach after serving as the team's assistant coach the past two seasons.
Bratton's OSU ties run deep. The College Station, Texas native played for the school from 1991-95, twice earning first-team All-American honors while also being the co-recipient of the Jack Nicklaus national player of the year award in 1994. As a senior, Bratton helped lead the Cowboys to the 1995 NCAA title, the eighth of OSU's 10 national championships.
After playing professionally and working for three years as a player development manager at Ping, Bratton returned to Stillwater as an associate head coach for the men's and women's teams working for seven seasons before taking over as the women's head coach before the start of the 2011-12 campaign. Bratton's women's teams won five titles in his two years at the helm, including the 2013 Big 12 Championship.
"Oklahoma State golf has been a part of my life since 1989 and it is the only place I ever wanted to play or coach," Bratton said. "I am humbled to have the opportunity to follow Labron Harris, Mike Holder and Mike McGraw. They have set the bar very high and I am ready to get to work."
Jones is a 2006 graduate of Tulsa who worked as a graduate assistant there before becoming a senior tournament director with the AJGA.
"I am honored and humbled by the opportunity to lead the Cowgirl program. I have learned a tremendous amount over the past two years," Jones said. "There is a commitment and passion for excellence at Oklahoma State that is unparalleled and inspires me daily."
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