University of North Carolina Athletics
Associate Head Coach Buchmann Stepping Away From Coaching
May 26, 2017 | Women's Golf
Chapel Hill, N.C. – After five seasons with the University of North Carolina, Associate Head Coach Leah Buchmann has decided to step down from her position.
“After much consideration and discussion with my family, I have decided to step away from coaching for the time being. This has been one of the hardest decisions of my life as I have truly enjoyed my time coaching here. It truly is a family here and I know a part of me will always miss Carolina. However, it is time for me to focus on my growing family and for me to be the best mom that I can be,” said Buchmann.
“I can't express how much I am going to miss Leah,” said head coach Jan Mann. “She has been with me since 2003. Leah was my first recruit at the University of Virginia, stayed with my husband and I while she played professional golf and has been by my side since accepting the UNC assistant coaching position five years ago. Leah represents all that is good in coaching. Not only will she be missed by our team but also by the collegiate coaching world. She is like a daughter to me so of course I want what is best for her and her family.”
Under Buchmann, the Tar Heels have qualified for NCAA Regionals every year and the NCAA Championships each of the past two seasons. The team also won four team titles and two individual titles.
As a player at Virginia, Buchmann (then Leah Wigger) had 24 top-ten finishes and finished runner-up at the 2005 NCAA Championships. She was a member of the All-ACC team in each of her four years and an All-American in each of her final two seasons.
Buchmann played on the Symetra Tour (Then Duramed FUTURES Tour) in 2007-2008 and 2011-2012 and held a LPGA Tour card in 2009 and 2010. She won two events as a professional, the 2008 American Systems Invitational in Dayton Beach, Fla. and the 2012 Symetra Tour Island Resort Championship in Harris, Mich,
“I want to thank Coach Mann for providing me this opportunity to coach at Carolina. I have learned so much here and am so honored to have been here for the past five years. More than anything, I am going to miss this team and Jan. They have meant so much to me and I will be forever grateful for all the relationships I have built while coaching here,” concluded Buchmann.
Buchmann, her husband Drew, and daughter Evelyn, will be welcoming a new member to their family this upcoming summer and will be relocating to Wisconsin.
