BRIDGEWATER, Va. - On Friday, Bridgewater College Athletic Director, Curt Kendall, announced that John Rogers will step down after thirteen seasons as a Bridgewater head coach. Rogers, who will complete the current season, has spent thirteen seasons as the women's golf coach, and eight at the helm of the men's program.
 
"Rogers has been involved with and had an impact on Bridgewater Golf for longer than most people may realize," said Director of Athletics Curt Kendall. "We're thankful for everything he has done for the program from back when he started helping under Lee Williams, to now leading two successful and nationally recognized programs."
 
Rogers officially joined the coaching staff in August of 2012 to oversee the fledgling women's program at the same time the ODAC first initiated women's golf. In 2013 the Eagles competed in their first team event, finishing in second place. A year later, in the fall of 2014, Bridgewater claimed its first team title and the first individual medalist in program history. Under Rogers, the women's program started a decade-long streak that included 27 tournament wins, 25 second-place finishes, multiple national rankings and the program's only national champion, Christina Herbert, in 2017.
 
"It's amazing to look back on," said Rogers. "I first got connected to Bridgewater in 1999 when [Lee] Williams brought me in to provide instruction for the men's team. Then we started the women's program in 2012, so I have had some level of contact with every Bridgewater golfer for over a quarter of a century. These athletes have enriched my life. I have always thought of myself as a teaching professional, but the players here made me look kind of like a college coach over the years."
 
Following the 2017 season, Rogers agreed to take over the men's team at Bridgewater, and he has led both teams since.
 
In 2019 the men's team broke a five-year drought in medalist awards and a seven-year lapse in team victories when Jason Spaar and the Eagles won the Shenandoah Invitational. They won a second tournament that year and broke the school scoring record, before the season was shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The program captured two ODAC titles over Rogers' tenure while he also garnered four ODAC Coach of the Year honors.

The Search for Bridgewater College's next Head Golf Coach will begin immediately.