ODESSA, Texas (March 19, 2025) – The NJCAA has announced its first ever honorees for the Coaches Legacy Awards presented by Nufabrx, which recognizes the all-time winningest coaches in NJCAA history. Among the honorees is current UT Permian Basin Head Golf Coach Paul Chavez. Coach Chavez was selected on the basis of winning three national championships at the NJCAA level.

Before coaching the Falcons this season, Coach Chavez was the Head Golf Coach at Odessa College, where he coached three NJCAA National Championship men's golf teams in 2004, 2005 and most recently in 2017. In addition to the three national titles, Odessa finished in the top-five 16 times. Chavez has been honored five times as the NJCAA National Coach of the Year and has been inducted into the NJCAA Golf Coaches Hall of Fame (2007), the Western Junior College Athletic Conference Hall of Fame (2014), the Golf Coaches Association of America Hall of Fame (2017), and the Odessa Athletic Hall of Fame (2021).

"It is with great pride to have been chosen as one of the all-time winningest golf coaches in NJCAA history," said Chavez. "The good Lord has truly blessed me my entire career. I definitely want to thank my family, Odessa College, friends, supporters, and especially all of my former players for their belief in me. Odessa College golf is now regarded as a national golf powerhouse and I'm honored to have coached such great kids. I want to thank all of you from the bottom of my heart." 

This is the first time in the near 90-year history of the NJCAA that coaches have been recognized in such a fashion by the Association.

Nearly 200 coaches across 28 different sports were nominated by the member colleges at which they coached. Coach Chavez is one of six honorees representing men's golf.

Also on the list for men's golf is one of Coach Chavez's mentees, Vince Clark (McClennan Community College), who Coach Chavez first meet and took under his wing during Clark's time as an assistant coach at McClennan.

"Vincer is one of my best friends in college golf," said Chavez. "We have known each other for many, many years. I was blessed to mentor him when he started his career at McClennan, and now to be recognized together with the Legacy Award is an absolute honor."

All honorees will be recognized at a special luncheon on Tuesday, June 17, in Charlotte, North Carolina, at the Hilton Charlotte University Place Hotel. The luncheon will precede the 2025 NJCAA Hall of Fame and Awards event, scheduled for later that day.

Coaches Legacy Award Honorees
Please click HERE for a full list of honorees and the NJCAA college(s) at which they coached.

Ticket Information
For information on tickets, please click HERE.