SIOUX FALLS – Tavia Rutherford has been named Assistant Athletic Director of Ticketing and Operations/Head Men's and Women's Golf Coach at the University of Sioux Falls, according to an announcement today by USF Director of Athletics Pam Gohl.

 

Rutherford, who ranks as one of USF's best golfers in school history, will take on a dual role as coach for the golf teams while handling operations and ticketing for USF Athletics. For the past year, Rutherford has been an assistant golf coach and an admissions counselor at USF. Rutherford's appointment is effective immediately.

"We look forward to the leadership that Tavia (Rutherford) will provide to our golf programs while providing administrative support in ticketing and business areas," said Gohl.  "We are excited about the future of these two programs with Tavia's vision and experience plus the amount of talent up and down the respective men's and women's rosters."

Rutherford, who competed at USF from 2011-15, reached the NCAA DII Regionals three times and the NCAA DII National Tournament as a senior which was a first for a USF golfer. As an assistant men's and women's golf coach for the past year, she provided invaluable assistance to USF golf teams which both finished in the top five of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (women, fourth; men, fifth).

"I would like to thank Athletic Director Pam Gohl and the University of Sioux Falls for this incredible opportunity," said Rutherford, who replaces Sam Vosler as coach of the USF Golf program. Vosler is moving on to other professional interests after three years at USF. "Coach (Sam) Vosler did a wonderful job fostering a competitive team culture and I would like to thank him for all of his diligent work to get this program to where we are today."

"I am honored and blessed to transition into the Athletic Department and lead both Men's and Women's Golf programs. I am looking forward to building on the success that our student-athletes have accomplished this year and I am very excited to see how far we can go," Rutherford said.

A native of Bakersfield, Calif., Rutherford graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology and Bachelor of Science degree in exercise science in 2015 from USF. She had an outstanding career both in competition and in the classroom at USF. In 2012-13, she became USF's first golfer to compete in the NCAA DII Central Region Tournament. As a junior (2013-14), she placed sixth at the NSIC Women's Golf Championships, which earned her a berth at the NCAA Regionals for a second straight year.

A three-time All-NSIC performer, Rutherford became USF's first-ever NSIC Golfer of the Year as a senior. She was also named the NCAA Elite 89 Award winner (2014-15) which is the highest academic honor bestowed on a student-athlete.

"I also want to say thank you to my parents, friends, athletes, coaches, mentors and peers who have constantly challenged me to grow personally and professionally and to never give up on my dreams," Rutherford said. "This (new role) is extremely special for me to give back to the university that gave me so much as a student-athlete," she added.

Rutherford capped off her outstanding career at USF by equaling her best round of the NCAA Championship and finishing tied for 37^th.  Competing as an individual out of the Central Region in 2015, Rutherford finished as the fourth-highest golfer out of 18 Central Region competitors. Rutherford was the highest finishing representative (seven total) from the NSIC at the NCAA Championship. Rutherford became USF's first-ever selection to the Women's Golf Coaches' Association All-Central Region team for the 2014-15 season.  

One of USF's mostly highly decorated student-athletes, Rutherford earned the Butch Raymond Scholarship Award, NSIC Honor Student-Athlete, Myles Brand Award recipient and FCA Honor Athlete.  She was also named the Outstanding Senior Exercise Science Student for her research exploring the effects of imagery direction on golf-putting performance at USF.

After leaving USF, she earned a Master of Arts degree in sport and performance psychology from University of Denver in 2017. At DU, she served as the Head of Operations for the Center for Performance Excellence (CPEX) as well as a mental skills consultant working with a variety of athletic teams.