Gary Bissell capped off his ninth season as the head coach of the Grand Valley State men's golf team following the 2022-23 academic year.
For the second consecutive season, Bissell was named the Golf Pride Grips NCAA Division II Region Coach and the GLIAC Coach of the Year, as he led the Lakers through. their most successful season in program history. GVSU won a program record 10 tournaments, including their first GLIAC title since 2018 and they won their first Regional title in program history. Additionally, GVSU advanced to the NCAA Championships Medal Match Play quarterfinals for the first time in the program, capping off the season ranked fifth in the entire nation. Bissell coached Charles DeLong to the NCAA Jack Nicklaus DII Player of the Year, First-Team All-American honors and the GLIAC Player of the Year. On top of that, the Lakers earned two more All-Region accolades, as Nick Krueger and Drew Coble also earned the honors, and five total golfers were named to the All-GLIAC teams.
Bissell once again earned Golf Pride Grips NCAA Division II Region Coach of the Year for the 2021-22 campaign. The Lakers earned a trip to the national championship, where the finished 16th. GVSU won two tournaments during the season and were the GLIAC Tournament runner-up. The Lakers earned a mulittude of postseason awards, as Charles DeLong was an All-American and All-Region selection, and Nick Krueger joined him on the All-Region team. Additionally, DeLong, Krueger, Drew Coble, and Eric Nunn all earned All-GLIAC honors, with DeLong taking home the GLIAC Golfer of the Year award.
For the first time while at the helm of the Lakers, Bissell was named the Golf Pride Grips NCAA Division II Midwest Region Coach of the Year in 2018-19, after leading the Lakers to their first national championship appearance since the 2007-08 season, where they finished 11th in the country. On top of that, GVSU secured their 17th straight NCAA postseason appearance after they took home six tournament wins throughout the season.
Bissell also coached a trio of seniors to numerous individual awards. Alex Scott was named to the DII PING All-American Second team and was joined by Bryce Messner and Mitchell White on the DII PING All-Midwest Team as well. Additionally, Scott earned his second straight GLIAC Player of the Year honor and was joined by Messner on the All-GLIAC First Team while White was named to the second team.
Scott becomes the first two-time all-American in program history while Bissell becomes the second head coach to take home a regional coach of the year honor.
Bissell guided the Lakers to one of their more successful seasons in program history in 2017-18, taking home the GLIAC Championship – their second in as many years – and earning their 16th consecutive NCAA Tournament berth. In their 10 regular season tournaments, the Lakers took home two titles and failed to finish outside of the top-eight in the rest.
Four Laker golfers were honored with All-GLIAC plaudits, led by junior Alex Scott who was named the GLIAC Golfer of the Year. Senior Domenic Mancinelli was also named to the first team while junior Mitchell White and freshman Eric Nunn earned honorable mention honors. Additionally, Scott was named to the Division II PING All-American First Team and was one of just 24 collegiate golfers regardless of division to earn a spot on the 2018 All-Nicklaus Team.
For his efforts, Bissell earned his second straight GLIAC Coach of the Year award.
Bissell led the Lakers to four tournament victories and a pair of runner up finishes in 2016-17. He was recognized as the GLIAC Coach of the Year for the first time in his career as a result. Among the tournament wins was a first place finish at the GLIAC Golf Championships, the program's seventh overall title, and a qualifying berth at the 15th straight NCAA Regional Tournament, where the team just missed qualifying for the national championship with a fifth place finish.
Four Laker golfers were recognized to All-GLIAC teams under Bissell's tutelage, with Bryce Messner, Domenic Mancinelli and Alex Scott earning First Team accolades, and Alex Nannetti garnering Second Team honors. Mancinelli and Scott were also named to the DII PING All-Midwest Region Team.
In his second season, Bissell led the Lakers to two tournament victories as well as two runner up finishes, including a second place finish at the 2016 GLIAC Conference Championship, falling short by just one stroke. The Lakers swept the GLIAC North and South Invitationals in the fall and spring season, respectively.
Under Bissell’s guidance, four Lakers were named to the 2016 All-GLIAC team. Sophomore Domenic Mancinelli was a First Team selection, junior Alex Nannetti and freshman Bryce Messner earned Second Team accolades, and freshman Alex Scott was named an Honorable Mention.GVSU also made its 14th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance by earning a berth in the Midwest Super Regional hosted at The Meadows Golf Course in Allendale, Michigan.
During his first season at the helm, the Lakers won a pair of tournaments, took runner-up honors at an NCAA regional event, and tied for fourth in a loaded field that featured six ranked clubs at the Brickyard Crossing Intercollegiate. At the GLIAC Championship, GVSU tied for third place with a 7-over-par 871, the fourth-lowest 54-hole score in program history. Moreover, the team's 7-under-par 281 on day three was the third-lowest in school history, while its 5-under-par 283 in the opening round was tied for the seventh-lowest score to par by a GVSU team. At season's end, Jack Rider, who claimed medalist honors at the Brickyard Crossing Intercollegiate, earned All-GLIAC First Team honors, Tyler Polulak was named to the All-GLIAC Second Team, and Domenic Mancinelli collected GLIAC Freshman of the Year and All-GLIAC Second Team plaudits. GVSU also made its 13th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance by earning a berth in the Midwest/Central Super Regional.
Bissell played at Ferris State for five seasons under head coach Mike Mignano, the 2010 Midwest Region Coach of the Year. During his time with the Bulldogs, Bissell accumulated a 76.1 career scoring average and earned the Bulldog Award - given to the player who best displays work ethic and commitment - as a senior following the 2011-12 campaign.
In his final collegiate season, he helped Ferris State finish second in four tournaments and earn an NCAA Division II Midwest/Central Super Regional berth. Individually, Bissell tied for fourth place at the Wisconsin-Parkside Invitational and tied for 15th place against Division I competition at the Detroit Titans Invitational.
Shortly after he graduated from Ferris State in 2012 with a bachelor's degree in marketing, Bissell gave private lessons at the Rick Smith and Jason Guss Golf Academy at Treetops Resort in Gaylord, Michigan for two years. During the winter of 2013-14, he played professionally on the Florida Professional Golf Tour.
Most recently, he was an instructor for the Jason Guss Golf Academy at Hawk Hollow Golf Course in Bath, Michigan.
Prior to his time at Ferris State, Bissell earned four all-area and two all-state plaudits for the Haslett High School men's golf team. As a senior, he captained the 2006 group, which claimed the MHSAA Division 2 title.
