Caroline Powers Ellis 2024-25 Women's Golf Staff

Notre Dame Director of Golf John Handrigan has announced the addition of Caroline Powers Ellis to his staff as the head women’s golf coach. Powers Ellis is joining the Irish after spending six seasons as an assistant coach at her alma mater Michigan State.

“I couldn’t be more excited to welcome Caroline to the Irish golf family as she epitomizes Notre Dame’s core values and will be a great representative of our University,” Handrigan said.

“Caroline has proven she can recruit elite student-athletes who compete for championships while having great success academically and in their local communities. The opportunity to combine Caroline’s recipe for success with our resources at Notre Dame will lead to a championship-level program.”

A former Michigan State All-American and Big Ten Golfer of the Year, Powers Ellis has made a lasting impression in the coaching profession over six years with the Spartans.

Michigan State qualified for an NCAA Regional appearance in every season Powers-Ellis was on staff, advancing to two national competitions and while claiming three Big Ten titles during her tenure in East Lansing. The Bowling Green, Ohio, native played a major role in the recruitment and growth of players while assisting with all areas of developing the Spartan players and program which included practice plans, tournament preparation, coordination of camps and clinics and organizing the annual Spartan Golf Classic Fundraiser.

“Thank you to Jack Swarbrick, Jim Fraleigh and John Handrigan for the opportunity to lead the Fighting Irish Women’s Golf Team,” Powers-Ellis said.

“I am honored to be joining this premier institution; one that holds the highest standards for student-athletes in the classroom, on the golf course and as leaders in the community.  Notre Dame is a special place and when I stepped on campus I could feel the passion and enthusiasm in everyone I met.

“There is no limit to what this team can achieve and I am excited to work alongside Coach Handrigan as our two teams become united as one program. I am eager to get started and to advance the legacy of Notre Dame Golf.”

As a member of the Michigan State coaching staff, Powers Ellis helped develop multiple All-Americans, all-conference players and two student-athletes who earned the Big Ten’s Mary Fossum Award for the lowest stroke average to par during an individual season.

Powers Ellis was named to the WeCOACH Coaches Council for the 2019-20 season. Previously known as the Alliance of Women Coaches, WeCOACH has become the premier membership organization committed to recruiting, advancing, and retaining women coaches across all sports and levels.

Before entering the coaching profession, Powers Ellis had established herself as one of the greatest golfers in Michigan State history – as she is one of just two women’s athletes to earn the Alderton Award (MSU Athlete of the Year) three times.

Named the 2013 Big Ten Women’s Golfer of the Year, Powers Ellis completed her career as the school’s all-time record holder in scoring average (74.26) and owns three of the top four single-season scoring averages in program history.

A three-time honorable mention All-American and All-Big Ten First Team selection, Powers Ellis helped lead the Spartans to back-to-back Big Ten Championships in 2011 and 2012 and a school-record finish at the 2013 NCAA Championships as the team tied for ninth place. She qualified as an individual for the 2011 NCAA Championships and placed sixth, tied for the highest ever by a Spartan at nationals.

In addition to winning the Alderton Award for the third time in 2013, Powers Ellis also was named the female winner of the Big Ten Conference Medal of Honor and the recipient of the Chester Brewer Leadership Award. She became the first student-athlete in MSU history to receive the Alderton Award, Brewer Award and Conference Medal of Honor in the same year.

In the classroom, Powers Ellis graduated in 2013 with a 3.87 GPA in elementary education and earned All-America Scholar honors from the NGCA four times and Big Ten Distinguished Scholar accolades twice. The three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree was named the 2013 recipient of the prestigious Dinah Shore Trophy Award by the LPGA Foundation, which is awarded to a female collegiate golfer who excels in both academics and athletics, while demonstrating outstanding leadership skills and community service.

In addition, Powers Ellis was the recipient of Michigan State’s Gwendolyn Norrell Community Service & Leadership Award in 2013. The award is presented to the student-athlete who best exemplifies the goals of the PACT (Putting Athletes and Community Together) program, excelling in the field of community service and outreach. As the President of the 2012-13 Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, Powers Ellis actively participated in numerous events throughout the Greater Lansing area, including March is Reading Month, Chuck A Puck, Teddy Bear Toss, and the Student-Athlete Food Drive.

After graduating from MSU in 2013, Powers Ellis played on the Symetra Tour. She recorded 11 top-20 finishes, including a career-best fourth place at the 2014 Firekeepers Casino Hotel Championship in Battle Creek, Michigan.

Powers Ellis married Michigan State men’s golf associate head coach Dan Ellis in the summer of 2020.