North Carolina A&T State University, a proud HBCU, has named Mesha Levister as the new director of men’s and women’s golf. Director of Athletics Earl M. Hilton III announced the hire on Thursday. Levister is the third director in program history and the first woman to lead A&T’s golf programs.
She also becomes the first female head coach of a men’s varsity sport at A&T.
“I’m excited to return to my home state of North Carolina,” Levister said. “Being close to family, friends, and coaching in the Triad—a great golf community—is an incredible opportunity. I’m honored to join North Carolina A&T and look forward to leading these teams with purpose, passion, and integrity.”
HBCU ties to North Carolina
Levister played golf at North Carolina Central University, another respected HBCU. She helped launch the women’s golf program there in 2020. She later thrived at Prairie View A&M University. In 2023, she led the Panthers to a second-place finish at the SWAC Championship and earned SWAC Women’s Golf Coach of the Year. She coached nine All-SWAC players and maintained a 3.1 GPA or higher for the men’s team. This past season Prairie View A&M concluded the tournament with a team score of +144, placing them just behind leaders Alabama State, Southern, and Bethune-Cookman.
This spring, Prairie View also finished fourth in the prestigious PGA Works Collegiate Championships.
“Coach Levister is a trailblazer in the golf community,” Hilton said. “We are thrilled to welcome her to Aggie Athletics.”
Levister’s golf journey began early. In 2004, she became the first African American to win the Virginia Women’s Amateur. That same year, she was named VSGA Golfer of the Year. She later joined the LPGA Futures Tour and competed worldwide before moving into coaching.
“My coaching philosophy is built on service and accountability,” Levister said. “I am committed to developing student-athletes on and off the course.”