It didn’t take Jason Owen long to take the Cal State Monterey Bay men’s golf program to the top of the NCAA Division II world. Owen led the Otters to an NCAA title in his third season and has consistently had the Otter ranked amongst the nation’s elite in his 10+ seasons in Seaside. He has served as CSUMB’s head men’s golf coach (since August 2008) and director of golf (since July 2011).
Through the 2017–18 season CSUMB team has appeared in all seven NCAA Super Regional tournaments and five National Championships. In his third season as head coach, Owen and his student-athletes brought CSUMB its first and only NCAA Division II National Championship, ultimately capping off a string of six consecutive tournament victories. Owen was named the 2011 Division II National Coach of the Year, the 2011 and 2013 All-West Region Coach of the Year, and the 2011 and 2014 CCAA Conference Coach of the Year.
During his tenure the CSUMB team has won a total of 30 tournaments including three CCAA conference championships where the team twice set, and currently hold, the team scoring record at 19 under par. The Otters have advanced to 10 NCAA Super Regionals—including three Super Regional championships—and advanced to the NCAA National Championship Tournament six times. and a total of 10 team members have combined for 24 individual tournament wins, including six CCAA Conference individual champions and the 2011 and 2015 NCAA Central/West Super Regional individual medalists.
Team members have received 11 All-American honors including the school’s inaugural First Team All-American, 19 All-West Region honors, 20 CCAA All-Conference honors, and four CSUMB Male Athlete of the Year awards. Carr Vernon (Poplar Bluff, Mo.) was chosen for the 2015 Palmer Cup, a U.S. squad comprised of the top 10 NCAA golfers.
CSUMB golfers have also been recognized for their academics with the squad earning a handful of national acadmeic awards. D.J. Milligan (Grass Valley, Calif.) received the 2011 NCAA Elite 88 award with overall 3.96 GPA. Additionally, the 2012-13 team was named a GCAA All-Academic Team and individual members have been named CSUMB Male Academic Athlete of the Year four times, earned numerous CCAA Conference All-Academic nods, and have been named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District At-Large Team.
The Otters participate in volunteer activities that Owen organizes in conjunction with the PGA Tour, Senior PGA Tour, Western Athletic Conference (WAC), First Tee of Monterey and other community organizations.
Owen competed as a student-athlete on the 1995-2000 NCAA Division I Southeast Missouri State University golf team. He completed his career as the most accomplished golfer in Southeast Missouri State University history. Some of his records include: lowest season scoring average (71), most collegiate tournaments won in a career (7), and most wins in a season (4), among others. Owen was also a three-time Southeast Missouri State MVP and three-time Ohio Valley All-Conference Team selection.
After studying sports management and graduating with a bachelor’s degree, Owen signed a sponsorship contract and went on to play three years of professional golf on the NGA and Web.com (formerly Buy.com) tours. He continues to play in select professional tournaments, most recently playing in a PGA Tour event at the Barracuda Championship in August of 2018.
Owen is currently completing a Master of Science in Recreation and Tourism degree at California State University East Bay and is a Class A PGA Professional.
Owen and his wife reside with their son and daughter in Marina, Calif.
