Former Sun Devils’ coach Armen Kirakossian brings fire to UCLA men’s golf
Armen Kirakossian dons an Arizona State hat at the Sun Devils’ practice. Kirakossian was named the new UCLA men’s golf head coach Monday morning and brings five years of experience from Arizona State’s program to Westwood. (Courtesy of Thomas Fernandez/ASU Athletics)
By Lauryn Olina Wang
June 14, 2022 1:29 p.m.
This post was updated June 26 at 11:53 p.m.
The newest Bruin has decided to beat the heat, trading maroon for blue as he makes the journey from Tempe to Westwood.
Former Arizona State Associate Head Coach Armen Kirakossian will be the new UCLA men’s golf head coach, UCLA Athletics announced Monday morning. The Bruins sought to fill the vacancy left by coach Derek Freeman’s retirement following the 2021-2022 season.
“It was clear throughout the process that UCLA was a special place that attracts great people,” Kirakossian said in a statement released by UCLA Athletics.
Kirakossian has spent the past five years coaching 11 All-Americans and 17 All-Pac-12 honorees in the Sun Devils’ program while quickly ascending to the national stage. He was promoted to associate head coach following his two-year tenure as assistant coach and was named top assistant in the nation by the Golf Coaches Association of America and TaylorMade Golf Company in 2019.
The Sun Devils have reached the NCAA championships in each of the past four seasons and are coming off a second-place finish in the 2022 tournament. The Bruins have not qualified for the NCAA championships since 2017 and have not won a title since 2008, when they clinched the championship in Freeman’s first season with the blue and gold.
Kirakossian, a Texas Pan American alumnus, both competed for and coached the Vaqueros. His first head coaching job was at the helm of UTPA’s program in 2014, and he said his appointment to coach UCLA’s team is a dream come true.
“Every coach dreams of being able to lead a program at a prestigious university and athletic department such as UCLA,” Kirakossian said in the statement.
Kirakossian added that he hopes to contribute to the culture at UCLA while fostering an excellent student-athlete experience for his golfers.
“I will make sure the players have an amazing collegiate golf experience, achieving greatness on the course and in the classroom,” Kirakossian said.
