Women's Golf
Powers Ellis, Caroline
Caroline Powers Ellis
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
- Email:
- powersc9@ath.msu.edu
Former Michigan State women's golf All-American and assistant coach Caroline Powers Ellis rejoined the program in August 2025.
Powers Ellis, who spent the last three years as the head coach at Notre Dame, will serve part-time as the Coordinator of Social Media and Player Development.
Powers Ellis spent three seasons as the head coach at Notre Dame (2022-25) and led the program to success, including seven top-10 finishes in 2024-25. During her tenure, she led the Irish to 11 top-five finishes, including a pair of runners-up scores in 2024 and 2023, and an individual NCAA Regional Champion. In 2024, Powers Ellis guided Lauren Beaudreau to the NCAA Championships after the graduate senior earned a spot as an individual in the NCAA East Lansing Regional and continued to play in the NCAA Championships. Her career also included three individual champions, saw the team's stroke average drop by eight shots and the 2024 team boast the top grade-point average among all Notre Dame teams.
Prior to her stint at Notre Dame, Powers Ellis was an assistant coach at her alma mater for six seasons (2017-22). The Spartans qualified for an NCAA Regional appearance in every season Powers Ellis was on staff, advancing to two national competitions and claiming three Big Ten titles during her tenure in East Lansing. She 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.
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.
One of best players in program history, Powers Ellis will be inducted into the Michigan State Athletics Hall of Fame in September.
Powers Ellis, one of just two women's athletes to earn the Alderton Award (MSU Athlete of the Year) three times, was named the 2013 Big Ten Women's Golfer of the Year, completed her career as the school's all-time record holder in scoring average (74.26) and owned 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.
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 and her husband Dan, also a former MSU golfer who is an assistant coach with the men's team, reside in Haslett with their sons, Dean and Jack.
Powers Ellis, who spent the last three years as the head coach at Notre Dame, will serve part-time as the Coordinator of Social Media and Player Development.
Powers Ellis spent three seasons as the head coach at Notre Dame (2022-25) and led the program to success, including seven top-10 finishes in 2024-25. During her tenure, she led the Irish to 11 top-five finishes, including a pair of runners-up scores in 2024 and 2023, and an individual NCAA Regional Champion. In 2024, Powers Ellis guided Lauren Beaudreau to the NCAA Championships after the graduate senior earned a spot as an individual in the NCAA East Lansing Regional and continued to play in the NCAA Championships. Her career also included three individual champions, saw the team's stroke average drop by eight shots and the 2024 team boast the top grade-point average among all Notre Dame teams.
Prior to her stint at Notre Dame, Powers Ellis was an assistant coach at her alma mater for six seasons (2017-22). The Spartans qualified for an NCAA Regional appearance in every season Powers Ellis was on staff, advancing to two national competitions and claiming three Big Ten titles during her tenure in East Lansing. She 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.
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.
One of best players in program history, Powers Ellis will be inducted into the Michigan State Athletics Hall of Fame in September.
Powers Ellis, one of just two women's athletes to earn the Alderton Award (MSU Athlete of the Year) three times, was named the 2013 Big Ten Women's Golfer of the Year, completed her career as the school's all-time record holder in scoring average (74.26) and owned 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.
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 and her husband Dan, also a former MSU golfer who is an assistant coach with the men's team, reside in Haslett with their sons, Dean and Jack.
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