Peggy Kirby begins her 17th season at the helm of the Augustana women’s golf program in 2019-20. Kirby has led the Vikings to nine consecutive NSIC Championships and six region titles in the last nine seasons.
Hannah Hankinson was named the the NSIC Women's Golfer of the Year for the first time in the 2018-19 season and it's the fourth consecutive season Kirby has had the NSIC Golfer of the Year on her squad.
Kirby led Hankinson and McKayla Poppens to the NCAA Central Region where Hankinson tied for 15th with a score of 231 and Poppens finished tied for 41st with a score of 239.
Kirby led Augustana to its 10th NCAA Division II National Championship appearance in the last 11 seasons in 2018.
Kirby's 2017-18 squad won the NSIC Championship shooting 62-over-par 926 (321-299-306) finishing 18 strokes ahead of the second-place finisher. Augustana had four players finish in the top-15 along with the top-place finisher in Emily Israelson who shot 12-over-par.
The Vikings also placed first at the NCAA Super Regional in 2018 with a score of 26-over-par 890 (302-296-292) finishing 10 strokes ahead of the second-place finisher. Augustana had three players finish in the top-15 as well as the top individual placer in Kali Trautman who shot a 1-under-par finishing 4 strokes ahead of second-place. Kirby's squad capped off a successful season placing 10th at the NCAA Championships. The Vikings shot 95-over-par 1247 (305-301-320-321) and were led by Hankinson who placed 33rd, shooting 18-over-par and Kali Trautman who shot a 22-over-par for T-42nd place.
Kirby’s 2016-17 squad won the NSIC Championship shooting 39-over-par 903 (304-305-294) finishing 52 strokes ahead of second-place finisher. Augustana had four players finish in the top-5, with all five players recording top-10 finishes at the conference championship, led by Kali Trautman who won individual medalist honors for the second straight season.
Trautman became the second Viking in program history to win individual medalist honors at the NSIC Championship twice in a career. Kirby has produced the NSIC individual champion seven times since joining the NSIC in 2008-09, including six straight seasons.
Kirby produced the NSIC Player of the Year and NSIC Newcomer of the Year for the fourth time in 2016-17. Emily Israelson became the fourth different player at Augustana to be named NSIC Player of the Year while freshman Hannah Hankinson was the fourth to be named Newcomer of the Year.
For the second straight season, Kirby had five players earn All-NSIC honors as Israelson, Trautman, Hankinson and Sierra Langlie earned First Team honors while Jordan Bormann was named to the Second Team.
Bormann made headlines in 2016-17 in the classroom as well being named an NSIC Honor Student-Athlete while also being named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District 7 team.
Kirby's team won the 2015-16 NSIC Championship by 63 strokes after being led by Kali Trautman who earned individual medalist honors for the first time in her career. Trautman carried the momentum into the Super Region Three Championship where she won a playoff to become the third player in program history to win an inividual region title.
Marisa Toivonen earned All-America honors for the second time in her career in 2015-16, earning WGCA All-America Second Team honors following a ninth-place finish at the NCAA Championships. Toivonen ended her career with two top-10 finishes at the NCAA Championships.
Five members of the 2015-16 team earned All-NSIC honors, including first team selections Marisa Toivonen, Emily Israelson, Sierra Langlie and Kali Trautman. Jordan Bormann was named to the All-NSIC Second Team following her sixth-place finish at the NSIC Championship.
After missing the cut for the NCAA Championships in 2013-14 for the first time since 2006-07, Kirby guided Augustana to the Central Region title and a return trip to the national tournament in 2014-15.
Kirby had four All-NSIC selections in 2013-14, including first team selections Sierra Langlie and Toivonen. Langlie became the fifth individual at Augustana to win individual medalist honors at the NSIC Championship under Kirby and just the second to win individual central region championship medialist honors.
After taking the conference title for the sixth straight season, Augustana would look to make a run back to the top of the region after placing second in 2012-13 and fifth in 2013-14. The Vikings did just that winning the Central Region title to advance to the NCAA National Championship for the seventh time in program history.
Despite missing the cut as a team for the national championships in 2013-14, Augustana had some success at the national level qualifying to individuals in Marisa Toivonen and Allie Ostrander. Toivonen went on to shoot and eight-over-par 292 (73-74-72-73) in the four-round tournament to place fourth overall, marking the highest individual finish in program history at the national championship.
The Vikings finished 11th at the 2012-13 national tournament, and under Kirby posted a program-best eighth-place showing in 2007-08.
The Vikings’ Allie Ostrander won the league’s individual crown in 2012-13 and joined teammates Maggie Leland and Emily Kvidera on the All-Conference first team.
Kvidera capped an outstanding collegiate career with NSIC Golfer of the Year honors. She was the league-leader with a 77.7-stroke average and was named the NSIC Player of the Week five times.
True freshman Jennifer Pederson was chosen NSIC Newcomer of the Year and earned a spot on the All-Conference second team.
Kirby has been chosen as the NSIC's Coach of the Year six times during her career. She has coached five NSIC Tournament medalists – Kvidera 2009-10, Leland 2011-12 & 2013-14, Ostrander 2012-13, Langlie 2014-15 and Kali Trautman 2015-16.
Three of her players have been named NSIC Player of the Year – Toivonen in 2015-16, Kvidera in 2012-13 and Leland in 2011-12. And Kvidera, 2009-10, Leland, 2010-11, and Pederson, 2012-13, were Conference Newcomers of the Year.
With Kirby at the reins, Augustana showed continued improvement as a member of the North Central Conference. The advance was capped by a runner-up finish at the 2006 championships and the program's first NCC title in 2006-07. Kirby was also named North Region Coach of the Year and NCC Coach of the Year in 2006-07.
The Vikings burst onto the national scene during the 2008 season, qualifying for their first NCAA Championship. The road to the nationals was drama-packed as the Vikings orchestrated a memorable comeback at the North Regional competition. The Vikings occupied last place in the six-team field entering the final day, a seemingly insurmountable 16 shots separating them from second place and a spot at nationals. However, Augustana registered its best round of the tournament and edged past Minnesota State and Upper Iowa for runner-up honors.
Pre-NSIC, the Vikings crowned the final three NCC individual medalists. Carley Roach won the 2005 conference title, while Courtney Belanger captured the 2006 and 2007 crowns. Roach was also just the second four-time All-NCC first team performer in league history as she placed in the top five at the NCC meet all four years of her stellar career.
Kirby is among South Dakota's most prominent golfers, having won the state women's stroke play championship five times (1973, 1974, 1975, 1977, and 1982) and the Sioux Falls City Tournament 17 times. She most recently won the 2009 South Dakota Golf Association Mid-Amateur Championship.
She and her husband, Kevin, won the state husband/wife golf crown in 1994, and she teamed with Patty Coddington, now her assistant coach, to win the state two-woman title in 2001. She was inducted into the South Dakota Golf Association Hall of Fame in 2005, her first year of eligibility. She was voted into the South Dakota Sports Hall of Fame in 2009.
A Sioux Falls native, Kirby played at Arizona State University, where she helped the Sun Devils capture the 1975 NCAA national championship.
After college, Kirby pursued professional golf, competing in an LPGA qualifying tournament in 1978. However, after the four days of competition, Kirby fell two shots short of obtaining her LPGA card.
Still an avid golfer, Kirby won the 2006 South Dakota Golf Association (SDGA) Pre-Senior Championship and also competed in the 2007 Bob Hope Chrysler Classic.
| Peggy Kirby Year-by-Year |
| Year |
School |
Conference |
Region |
Nation |
| 2003-04 |
Augustana |
7th |
- |
- |
| 2004-05 |
Augustana |
4th |
- |
- |
| 2005-06 |
Augustana |
4th |
- |
- |
| 2006-07 |
Augustana |
2nd |
- |
- |
| 2007-08 |
Augustana |
1st |
2nd |
8th |
| 2008-09 |
Augustana |
5th |
3rd |
11th |
| 2009-10 |
Augustana |
1st |
1st |
10th |
| 2010-11 |
Augustana |
1st |
1st |
t-9th |
| 2011-12 |
Augustana |
1st |
1st |
10th |
| 2012-13 |
Augustana |
1st |
2nd |
11th |
| 2013-14 |
Augustana |
1st |
5th |
- |
| 2014-15 |
Augustana |
1st |
1st |
11th |
| 2015-16 |
Augustana |
1st |
1st |
10th |
| 2016-17 |
Augustana |
1st |
2nd |
t-9th |
| 2017-18 |
Augustana |
1st |
1st |
10th |
| 2018-19 |
Augustana |
2nd |
- |
- |