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New Mexico's Booth Named 2002 LPGA National Coach of the Year
Booth has been the head women's golf coach at UNM since 1997.
Dec. 10, 2002 DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - The Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Teaching and Club Professional (T&CP) Division has announced the 2002 recipients of its prestigious annual national awards, all of which are presented by Steuben: Debbie O'Connell, Island Dunes Country Club, Jensen Beach, Fla., Professional of the Year; Krista Dunton, Forsgate Country Club, Monroe Township, N.J., Teacher of the Year; and Jackie Booth, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, N.M., Coach of the Year. The LPGA T&CP Division's Executive Committee selects the national award winners from the pool of sectional award winners voted on by the members of the LPGA T&CP Division's five regional sections. O'Connell, Professional of the Year Presented by Steuben O'Connell, a graduate of Western Kentucky University, where she played basketball and competed in the NCAA Final Four in 1986, is the head golf professional at Island Dunes Country Club in Jensen Beach, Fla. She joined the LPGA T&CP Division in 1990 and achieved Class A status in 1995. O'Connell is tournament coordinator for the LPGA T&CP Southeast Section and was a committee member for the 2002 Merrill Lynch LPGA T&CP Southeast Section Championship and the LPGA T&CP Regional Summit in Biloxi, Miss. In 1998, O'Connell developed and hosted the first A.J. Tech LPGA T&CP Southeast Section Mixed Team Classic. At Island Dunes Country Club, O'Connell organizes an annual tournament for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, the official national charity of the LPGA. She also is president of the Auxiliary for the Children's Home Society of Florida and a member of the Society's Board of Directors. Since 1996, O'Connell has conducted the All States Rent-a-Car Sales Charity Classic to benefit the Children's Home Society of Florida, which has raised more than $100,000. O'Connell is a member of Women in the Golf Industry, is co-owner of The Treasure Coast Junior Tour, a 14-event golf tour for juniors age 3-18, and is president of Drive for Doe investment club. O'Connell, who earned a Bachelors of Arts degree in Psychology and minors in business and broadcasting, hosts a weekly radio show on WPSL Radio dedicated to women's golf called "The Debbie O'Connell Show" that has featured guests such as LPGA Tour Hall of Famers Nancy Lopez, JoAnne Carner and Patty Sheehan. She also has had articles and golf tips published in various publications, including Island Life Magazine, The Stuart News, The Palm Beach Post and Florida Fairways Magazine. O'Connell has also appeared as a guest on a local television show called "Par Fore Golf." A true entrepreneur, O'Connell is also co-owner of D&L Enterprises, a new business endeavor that includes creating special event videos. She developed and produced two videos for the 2002 LPGA Regional Summits. "It's an incredible honor to receive this award," said O'Connell. "The LPGA T&CP Division has elevated my career through various education programs and interaction with other teaching professionals. I am so proud to be a part of the LPGA and to win this award. To look back over the past professionals who have won the award and to be a part of that list is truly an honor. I'm just thrilled to be in their company." The LPGA Professional of the Year Award presented by Steuben, established in 1980, is awarded annually to a woman golf professional who is involved directly in the entire golf operation. Dunton, Teacher of the Year Presented by Steuben Dunton, a member of the LPGA T&CP Division since 1993 who achieved Class A status in 1996, is director of instruction at Forsgate Country Club in Monroe Township, N.J. Dunton, who also is a member of the PGA of America, played on the Futures Tour from 1989-93 before joining the staff at Forsgate Country Club. She serves as the assistant women's golf coach at Princeton University and on the advisory panel for Golf for Women magazine. In 2001, Dunton was named the New Jersey PGA Teacher of the Year. Dunton's junior golf and overall community outreach is extensive. She is the founder and site director for the New Jersey chapter of LPGA-USGA Girls Golf and is director of the Forsgate Country Club junior golf program. She also is an instructor for the boys' golf team at West Windsor High School and teaches Jenna Winnokur, the top-ranked female high school player in New Jersey. Dunton is an instructor and teaching coordinator for Golf Event Management Corporation and has conducted corporate clinics for women executives of numerous corporations, including DeLoitte & Touche, Price Waterhouse Coopers, Women Realtors Association, Dow Chemical and AT&T. Dunton is dedicated to charitable initiatives, including conducting a golf clinic for the annual Perlman Cup, a large women's golf event that raises money for the New Jersey chapter of the Special Olympics. She also served as secretary and event coordinator for the 2001 LIFE (LPGA Players In the Fight to Eradicate Breast Cancer) Pro-Am tournament, which is conducted and organized by LPGA Tour player Val Skinner. Dunton is a member of the Teaching and Education committee for the New Jersey PGA and is co-chair for the Centra State Hospital Women's Golf Outing. Dunton was listed by Golf for Women Magazine as one of the top 50 teachers in the country. She has written articles for Golf World Business, PGA Magazine, Golf for Women Magazine, Asbury Park Press, and NJ Golf and co-authored the book "Golf: A Woman's Guide" with Susan Comolli-Davis. Born and raised in Northern California, Dunton graduated from the University of Michigan, where she was co-captain of the women's golf team from 1987-88. "This was quite a surprise," said Dunton. "I was excited to win the sectional award and knew I had a one in five chance of winning this, but I didn't think too much about it. There is a lot of great competition and there are a lot of good teachers in the Northeast Section, and to win the national award the first time I won the sectional one is unexpected. When I got the call about the national award, I was elated and surprised. To be in such great company of the past winners is definitely an honor. It definitely helps bring in the New Year on a high note." The LPGA Teacher of the Year Award presented by Steuben was established in 1958 and is presented to the woman teaching professional who best exemplifies her profession during the year. Booth, Coach of the Year Presented by Steuben Booth, who joined the LPGA T&CP Division in 1992 and achieved Class A status in 1995, has been the head women's golf coach at the University of New Mexico (UNM) since 1997. She began her coaching career in 1982 as assistant coach at New Mexico State University and served in that capacity until 1992, when she was promoted to head coach. She served as head coach at New Mexico State University from 1992-96 before being named head coach at the University of New Mexico. In the past year, Booth has led her team to three tournament titles, including a third-straight Mountain West Conference (MWC) championship. She has been named MWC Coach of the Year for two-straight years (2001, 2002). Each of her seven team members were given awards at either conference or national levels, including MWC Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year Kailin Downs. Booth's emphasis on education is evident, as two of the players from her 2001-02 squad were named National Golf Coaches Association (NGCA) Academic All-Americans and five were named to the MWC All-Academic Team. Under Booth's direction, the UNM women's golf team has had a 100-percent graduation rate since she became head coach in 1997. Booth serves on the LPGA National Coaches Advisory Committeeand helps organize two LPGA coaches workshops each year. She serves as the NGCA vice president and served on the Golf World College Coaches Poll during the 2001-02 season. "This award is very special to me because it comes from my LPGA peers," said Booth. "I feel very honored to receive this national award. It's not every day that you receive something like this, so it's pretty special." The LPGA Coach of the Year Award presented by Steuben, established in 1980, is awarded annually to a woman golf professional who is actively engaged in teaching and/or coaching golf at the college, university or high school level.
Steuben Glass, a part of the Corning Inc. family in Corning, N.Y., is the official fine crystal of the LPGA. Steuben, America's finest crystal manufacturer, designed the Louise Suggs Trophy, which is presented annually to the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year. Other perpetual and individual trophies and awards provided by Steuben are the Vare Trophy, Rolex Player of the Year, the William and Mousie Powell Award, the Dr. DeDe Owens Spirit of Golf Award, the Heather Farr Player Award and the Patty Berg Award, as well as the Budget Service Award, the Ellen Griffin Rolex Award, the LPGA Teaching & Club Professional (T&CP) Division's three annual awards (Teacher of the Year, Coach of the Year, Professional of the Year), LPGA Tour and T&CP Hall of Fame Awards, millionaire milestone awards, the LPGA Komen Award, the Commissioner's Award and the Babe Zaharias LPGA Journalism Award, for both print and electronic media. These perpetual works of fine art are proudly displayed at the LPGA Headquarters in Daytona Beach, Fla., and the individual replicas are presented to each winner every year at the LPGA annual awards celebration. Steuben is also a significant supporter of the LPGA T&CP Division as a sponsor of its annual appointment calendar and the division's annual "Of the Year" awards program.
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