Twenty-two year old Caylyn Ponich is just a year removed from competing on her own collegiate golf team at Utah Valley University. Now, she’s the head coach of one. The former three-time All-State golfer from Davis High has just taken the reins at Southern Utah University.

 “We are thrilled to hire Coach Ponich as our new head coach for women’s golf,” said SUU Athletic Director Doug Knuth. “From the first moment I spoke to her, I could tell she had a plan for success and an inner drive to win. She has been coached and mentored by great people in her life. She is wise beyond her years and we are excited to have her lead our team and build our women’s golf program.”

“The fact that my dream came true as fast as it did is amazing,” said Ponich. “If you would have asked me last May after graduation if this is where I would see myself in a year I would tell you that you are crazy. I am forever grateful and so happy to be at SUU doing what I love.”

The daughter of Tom and Becky Ponich of Kaysville competed in 36 events during her collegiate career, highlighted by a first-place team finish at the 2024 Utah Tech Trailblazer Invitational. “Winning as a team is such a special feeling because golf is an individual sport, but in college you learn the importance of playing for something bigger than yourself. That experience reinforced the power of teamwork, perseverance and trusting the process,” Caylyn Ponich said. “At UVU, I gained valuable experiences that pushed me to improve my game and my mindset. Beyond the competition, being a student athlete truly shaped me as a person. Balancing school, golf, workouts, and travel taught me how to manage my time, stay disciplined, and push through adversity.”

Coach Ponich also said those four years was an extensive learning process about herself. “I learned how to respond to pressure, how to be a leader, and the importance of staying mentally tough through the highs and lows,” she said. “College golf taught me that success isn't always about immediate results but about steady growth and believing in the work you are putting in. Looking back, I am incredibly grateful for my time at UVU and everything it taught me. The challenges, the victories, and the lessons along the way all prepared me for this next chapter as a coach, where I can now help my players navigate their own journeys and find their own success.”

Caylyn Ponich began playing golf at five years old and quickly became familiar with Farmington’s Oakridge Country Club where her passion for the sport developed. In addition to being a three-time Region medalist and three-time First-Team All-State golfer for the Darts, she also competed in tournaments all over the country and within the Utah Junior Golf Association and the Utah Professional Golfers Association.

It didn’t take Caylyn long into her collegiate playing days to realize that she wanted to coach the game at some point as she was mentored along the way by Sue Nyhus, Juli Erekson and Mike Jurca. “They each impacted me in different ways, and seeing how much they cared about my growth and success solidified my desire to follow in their footsteps,” she said. “They made a real impact on my journey, and that made me realize that I want to be that person for other young women.”

Following graduation last spring, she reached out to Utah Tech’s head coach Lindsey Orth – who she had known from playing opposite the Trailblazers in college events – about her open assistant position. “I told her that if she was looking for someone eager to learn, eager to put in the work and committed to the team, then I was her girl,” Caylyn Ponich said. Within three months, she was in St. George “getting [her] foot in the door, gaining hands-on experience and learning from a coach [she] admired.” That experience of helping mentor and guide a team showed Ponich that she was on the right path. “I quickly realized how much I love being a part of their journeys. Watching them grow both on and off the course, celebrating their successes and helping them navigate the challenges of college life made me feel like I was making a real impact,” she said. “They really showed me how rewarding it is to build relationships with student-athletes and to be a source of support and encouragement for them. Seeing their trust in me and them knowing that I could help them believe in themselves reinforced that coaching was exactly what I wanted to do. They helped me realize that this wasn't just a job and that it was a passion of mine.”

Her former coach Mike Jurca informed her about the SUU job and encouraged her to apply to head up her own team. “I decided to take a chance on myself and put my resume out there for SUU to see. I didn’t hear anything for a couple of months and thought to myself that it was probably because I am 22 years old, I am young and I have a semester of college coaching under my belt, but then suddenly I got an email to do the interview,” Caylyn Ponich said. 

Coach Ponich is all about giving back to the game of golf for the life lessons it has taught her. “As someone who recently played collegiate golf, I can definitely understand the challenges and triumphs that players face both on and off the course,” she said. “I understand the stress that can come with being a college athlete and the excitement that can come from it as well. I want to make the college experience as a women's golfer enjoyable. I also want to coach because while being a professional golfer wasn't the path I saw for myself, I knew I wanted to stay connected to golf. I loved my four years on the team, and I want to help create that feeling for other women for as long as I can. I want these girls to experience these years of playing collegiate golf and graduate wishing they had four more.”

The coaching philosophy Ponich brings to the Cedar City campus is one of development on and off the course through a “positive, discipline, and competitive environment where players feel empowered to reach their full potential.” “I want this team to be built on hard work, accountability, and commitment to improvement,” she said. “My goal is to create a culture where my players push each other, support each other, and embrace the journey of growth together, I want my players to understand that improvement doesn't happen overnight. It happens through consistent effort, smart practice, and mental toughness. It is about learning how to handle adversity, how to compete under pressure, and how to trust the process even when things don't go your way.”

A main point of emphasis for Ponich is “practicing with a purpose” so each session is intentional with an understanding of what to work on and why it matters with some practical take-aways for her athletes’ game. “At the end of the day, my goal as a coach is to help these players become the best version of themselves, as golfers, as teammates, and as people,” she said. “ My goal is to not only help them improve in this sport but to create an environment where they truly love being a part of this team. College golf is such a unique and special time in an athlete's life, and I want to make sure that every player who comes through this program leaves with lifelong friendships, unforgettable experiences, and a deep appreciation for the game and the journey they have been on.”

Caylyn has a summer wedding planned – to fellow Wolverine golfer Brady McKinlay who is pursuing his own dream of becoming a professional golfer.

Caylyn Ponich said, “Looking back, I’m so glad that I took the leap because it confirmed that coaching is exactly where I’m meant to be, and it’s exactly what I want to do.”