Bio

Tom Koehle is the head coach of Penn State Altoona's men's and women's golf teams. He heads into Fall 2025 for his 20th season at the helm of the Penn State Altoona men’s golf program and fifth overall year as head of the women’s golf program. Koehle also serves as the Coordinator of Partnership Development for Penn State Altoona Athletics.

His first stint was from 2004 to 2011, and he returned in 2014 following a two-year hiatus. Koehle currently is the Chair of the NCAA Division III Men’s National Golf Committee through August 2026 as well as serving as the Region V representative for four years starting in August 2022.

During his tenure, Koehle guided the Lions to eight Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference Championships (2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024). His teams appeared in eight NCAA Division III National Tournaments, the most of any Penn State Altoona varsity team. The Lions have also garnered six runner-up finishes at the AMCC Championships, as well as three third place finishes and two fourth place finishes. Over 19 seasons, 66 Lion golfers have been placed on the AMCC All-Conference teams, and 78 golfers have finished in the top 20 individuals at the AMCC Championships.

The Lions have won 35 tournament titles, including two Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference South Region Championships. The program has produced seven AMCC Players of the Year, six AMCC Newcomers of the Year, and five AMCC Women’s Invitational Champions. Peter Nusbaum earned the first PING GCAA All Region status in program history after the 2024-25 season.

Koehle has been named AMCC Coach of the Year by his peers five times (2006, Spring 2021, Fall 2021, 2023, 2024).

The 2020-21 and 2023-24 teams were recognized by the Golf Coaches Association of America as All-Academic Teams for achieving a Team GPA of 3.0 or higher.  In 2011, 2017, and 2018, the Lions won the AMCC Peak Performer Award for the highest team GPA among all conference golf teams.  Jack DiTrani was named a 2024 Cobalt Golf Division III Academic All-American, achieving a GPA over 3.2 and possessing a scoring average under 79.0.  In 2020-21, Jimmy Gillespie was named the Penn State Altoona Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year and the AMCC Faculty Athletic Representative Award winner as the top male scholar-athlete in the conference.

Chris Perry was awarded the NCAA Sportsmanship Award in 2009 for his display of honesty and sportsmanship, when he disqualified himself after signing an incorrect scorecard for not taking an appropriate penalty during play, one of nine student-athletes across the NCAA to receive that award.

Koehle’s career head-to-head record through the end of the Spring 2025 season is 1,057-472-13.

No stranger to Division III golf prior to his coaching tenure, Koehle competed at Penn State Altoona in 2000 and 2001. He was named the Lions’ Most Valuable Player and earned AMCC All-Conference status during the 2001 season. That year, he won the Mount Aloysius College Invitational and took second place at the La Roche College Invitational. He graduated from Penn State in 2003 with a degree in Secondary Education.

In his role as the Coordinator of Partnership Development for Penn State Altoona Athletics, Koehle works with alumni, donors, community, and friends of the college to promote and enhance student-athlete experience through the Varsity A Club.  Varsity A is an athletic partnership program, supporting all varsity sports. Koehle also supports the C. David Kimmel Student-Athlete Honors Night, the biennial Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame induction ceremony, and the Athletic Advisory Council, among other programs.

Previously, for nine years, he served as Director of Partners in Mission with Presbyterian Senior Living after 16 years as a golf professional. Koehle served as head golf professional at Iron Masters Country Club for eight years and Huntingdon Country Club for two years. He also worked as an assistant professional at both Sinking Valley Country Club and Toftrees Golf Resort. During Koehle’s time as a golf pro, he specialized in individual, group, and junior instruction, tournament operations and merchandising.

Koehle also served Penn State Altoona in several volunteer capacities. He was chair of the Penn State Altoona Athletics Advisory Council and was a member of the Penn State Altoona Advisory Board, chairing the outreach and development committee. He served two stints as a member of the Penn State Altoona Alumni Society Board of Directors. Koehle was president from 2012 to 2014 and served on the Penn State Alumni Council during that time. He led the award-winning Alumni Society Community for Kids Golf Tournament, which raised funds for the Blair County Center for Child Justice, the Alumni Society Scholarship fund, and non-budgeted needs for the athletic department. Additionally, Koehle served as the voice of Penn State Altoona men’s and women’s basketball, calling play-by-play during the live internet broadcasts of Lions’ home games.  Koehle was recognized in 2018 with the Ivyside Society Distinguished Service Award for his volunteerism and service to Penn State Altoona. 

Koehle and his wife Heather, also a Penn State graduate, reside in Altoona with their daughter Madelynn.