Lela Cannon
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inducted 2023 |
Lela Cannon was named head women’s golf coach at the University of Miami in the fall of 1983. The following spring, Cannon guided her first Hurricane squad to the national championship, the fifth title in school history. During her tenure, Lela led the Hurricanes to one national championship, one national runner-up, five state championships and 17 NCAA tournament appearances. She also guided her players to eleven All-American and seven Academic All-America honors as well as many careers on the LPGA tour.
Cannon was a two-time Southeastern Region Coach of the Year (1984, 1992). Following the 1984 NCAA championship season, Lela signed local standout Tracy Kerdyk, who went on to win an NCAA-record 11 tournaments in 1987-88, earn first-team All-American honors in 1987 and 1988, and was the 1987-88 NCAA Player of the Year.
In 1986, in what Cannon labeled a rebuilding season, Miami shocked the collegiate world by storming to a second-place finish at the NCAAs.
Cannon was instrumental in the collegiate and LPGA careers of Penny Hammel (1983 NCAA Champion, All-American 1983 and 1984, and LPGA Rookie of the Year 1985), Michelle Berteotti (All-American 1984), and Kerdyk. Lela molded some of the best players in collegiate golf including All-Americans Michelle Michanowicz 1984, Joye McAvoy 1988, Mary Dunne 1991, Kim Augusta 1992, and Julie Brand in both 1993 and 1994. And she coached three members currently in the UM Sports Hall of Fame & Museum; Hammel, Kerdyk, and Tina Miller-Lloyd.
With a lifetime association with golf, Cannon represented the United States as the head coach of the US-Japan All-Star team in 1984.
In the fall of 2001, Lela was featured in the book, Celebrating Women Coaches, A Biographical Dictionary that profiled 42 of the world’s top female coaches. In 2002, she was inducted into the National Golf Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
Cannon has two children, Marc and Melissa (Guzy), and three grandchildren, Will, Katie and John. Lela and her son, Marc, share a unique bond, both having been initiated into the University of Miami’s prestigious Iron Arrow Society.
Cannon was a two-time Southeastern Region Coach of the Year (1984, 1992). Following the 1984 NCAA championship season, Lela signed local standout Tracy Kerdyk, who went on to win an NCAA-record 11 tournaments in 1987-88, earn first-team All-American honors in 1987 and 1988, and was the 1987-88 NCAA Player of the Year.
In 1986, in what Cannon labeled a rebuilding season, Miami shocked the collegiate world by storming to a second-place finish at the NCAAs.
Cannon was instrumental in the collegiate and LPGA careers of Penny Hammel (1983 NCAA Champion, All-American 1983 and 1984, and LPGA Rookie of the Year 1985), Michelle Berteotti (All-American 1984), and Kerdyk. Lela molded some of the best players in collegiate golf including All-Americans Michelle Michanowicz 1984, Joye McAvoy 1988, Mary Dunne 1991, Kim Augusta 1992, and Julie Brand in both 1993 and 1994. And she coached three members currently in the UM Sports Hall of Fame & Museum; Hammel, Kerdyk, and Tina Miller-Lloyd.
With a lifetime association with golf, Cannon represented the United States as the head coach of the US-Japan All-Star team in 1984.
In the fall of 2001, Lela was featured in the book, Celebrating Women Coaches, A Biographical Dictionary that profiled 42 of the world’s top female coaches. In 2002, she was inducted into the National Golf Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
Cannon has two children, Marc and Melissa (Guzy), and three grandchildren, Will, Katie and John. Lela and her son, Marc, share a unique bond, both having been initiated into the University of Miami’s prestigious Iron Arrow Society.
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