Penn State men’s golf has a new leader at the helm.

Former Penn State golfer Mark Leon was named the program’s head coach Thursday morning.

Leon will enter the role following former head coach Greg Nye’s retirement after 31 years.

Leon is returning to his alma mater after a storied career as a Nittany Lion from 2001 to 2005. Leon was a GCAA All-American, GCAA All-Region, and an All-Big Ten selection. During the 2004 season, he led Penn State to the NCAA Finals and tied for sixth individually, which is still an all-time program record.

“Coming to Penn State in 2001 was the best decision I ever made, and having the chance to be named the head coach 22 years later is truly the greatest honor of my life,” Leon said in a release. “I believe in this place and what it does for young people. I cannot believe that I have the opportunity to continue to share this journey with new generations of student-athletes and families. We Are!”

After a four-year stint on the Canadian Tour, Leon entered the coaching sphere. He started as an assistant coach under coach Nye with Penn State from 2011 to 2017. Leon then took a job at the University of Florida until 2021 before transitioning to the head coach at Florida Atlantic University.

Penn State men’s golf closed its season with a second-place finish at the National Golf Invitational in Maricopa, Arizona.