Thompson takes over as NIC golf coach

COEUR d'ALENE - The North Idaho College athletic department announced the hiring of Derrick Thompson as the school's head golf coach.

Thompson has served as an assistant coach for two years and replaces Randy Boswell, who resigned from the head coaching position in June, but will remain on staff as an assistant coach and the head athletic trainer.

"I'm really looking forward to it," Thompson said via telephone. "I've been here for two years now and everyone on the team this year is someone that I've built a relationship with on the golf course."

Thompson has been a golf professional since 2006 and worked at the Coeur d'Alene Resort Golf Course as an assistant professional from 2006 to 2007. He is currently entering his fourth year at Avondale Golf and Tennis Club as an assistant professional.

He graduated from Ferndale High in 2000 and attended Western Washington University in Bellingham.

"It should be a pretty smooth transition," Thompson said. "I've been really active in finding those kids I wanted to be a part of the program."

"We are pleased to have a coach of Derrick's ability take over the leadership of our golf program," NIC athletic director Al Williams said. "Derrick was instrumental in helping (Randy) Boswell develop our young golfers over the past two seasons and turned our team into a quality golf program. This transition will help us attract some of the best golfers in the region. We are also fortunate that Boswell will remain as part of the program, which he helped create."

Joining Thompson on the staff will be Dan Porter, who enters his second season as NIC's assistant coach as well as former Idaho standout Russell Grove. Porter is the head professional at Avondale Golf and Tennis Club, a position he has held since 2000.

"It's kind of a flip-flop with me and Dan," Thompson said. "We've always had great support of the club at Avondale. Russell recently graduated and it will be great to have some help from a great golfer like him. He should be able to relate well to the other players.

Under Boswell, the NIC golf teams have grown from club status to qualifying for the NJCAA tournament in consecutive seasons in only four years. The women finished No. 13 in 2009-10 and received the school's first national ranking in the NJCAA poll, reaching No. 11 in the preseason and remaining in the top 15 for most of the season.

The men's team finished No. 17 at the 2010 NJCAA tournament and produced the school's first All-American, sophomore Branden Dalton, who finished eighth in the individual standings. Dalton will compete for Washington State University this season.