Mat Blair served as UIC’s Women’s Golf Coach beginning in Feb. 2017 before stepping down in April of 2023.
In his final season, Blair led the Flames in its inaugural season in the Missouri Valley Conference. Graduate transfer Dasa Urbankova shot three-under-par at the Golfweek Fall Challenge to set a new program record for low round and low round vs. par at an event. Senior Megan Tang shared the individual title at the Briar Ridge Invitational, becoming the sixth player in program history to win an individual title.
In UIC’s final season in the Horizon League, the Flames placed seventh overall with a top-ten finish from Tang (+13). Another low mark came at The Julie Tournament, hosted by Northern Kentucky. The team collectively shot 617, finishing as runners-up at the event.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Blair led the Flames through six events during the 2019-20 season. UIC’s strongest finish came at the Charles Braun Intercollegiate, tying for ninth at the event with a team score of 331.
During 2018-19, the Flames began the season breaking the 54-course record at the NKU Fall Classic, shooting 31-over-par with a score of 947 at the Elks Run Golf Club. They finished the season with two top 5 finishes, including finishing fifth at the Horizon League Championship.
In the 2017-18 season, Blair coached Horizon League Champion, Kelly Sterling, one of only two UIC women's golfers to win the award. Sterling was also named to the All-League Team and the All-Tournament Team. Additionally, three Flames (Sterling, Claudia Stampa, and Shivani Majmudar) were also named All-American Scholars by the Women's Golf Coaches Association.
Blair attended Rogers High School in Michigan City, Ind, where he was an All-State Second Team selection in 1990. One year later he was named a junior college All-American at Anderson College in South Carolina. He matriculated to Ball State, where he played for the next three years. Blair played professionally for three years on the Hooters Tour. He also qualified for the Virginia Beach Open on the Nationwide Tour in 2005.
Mat and his wife, Tia, have three children: MaKenna, Kara and Tessa.
