Kirkwood's Pint earns regional coaching honor

Kirkwood Community College head men's golf coach Darin Pint was named NJCAA Division II Eaton Golf Pride East Region Coach of the Year. Pint led the Eagles to a 53-50 team mark this spring, advancing Kirby Brown and former Cedar Rapids Jefferson prep Dalton Stevens, the Region XI individual champion, to the NJCAA Division II national tournament in Scottsboro, Ala.

Pint, also an assistant men's basketball coach, has coached Kirkwood's men's golf team for 15 seasons, including 54 national qualifiers and four NJCAA All-Americans.

Below is a news release from Kirkwood:

Kirkwood Community College head golf coach Darin Pint was tabbed as the NJCAA Division II Eaton Golf Pride East Region Coach of the Year.

The Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) and the Eaton Corporation announced last week the collegiate golf coaches receiving this honor. Pint joins central region winner Tom Ferris of John A. Logan (Ill.) and west region winner Jake Harrington of South Mountain (Ariz.) as region coaches of the year.

The Eagles finished the 2011 season with an overall record of 53-50. Strong performances at the Region XI tournament by Kirby Brown (West Des Moines, Iowa) and Dalton Stevens (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) gave the duo a berth to the NJCAA National Tournament in Scottsboro, Alabama. Stevens claimed the region championship by seven strokes, while Brown came in fourth place. At the national tournament, Brown finished with a score of +18 and Stevens finished +24.

Finishing his 15th season at the helm, Pint has accrued a 777-228 record, with 54 national qualifiers and four All-Americans in that span. The Eagles have claimed seven Region XI championships over the past eight seasons. Pint currently serves as the president of the NJCAA Division II Golf Coaches Association.

The Eagles open the fall season on Sept. 6 with the Fun City Classic hosted by Iowa Wesleyan College.