Briar Cliff University

Ben Irlbeck remains the head men's and women's golf coach after joining the program for the 2013-14 season. Coach Irlbeck took the women to the brink of back-to-back GPAC Championships in 2017-18 but the Chargers were forced to settle for second place in the conference. During the 2016-17 season, Irlbeck was named the GPAC Women’s Golf Coach of the Year after coaching the Chargers to their first ever conference title with a team score of 1,338 (350-332-334-322). The title not only marked the first ever GPAC Championship for women’s golf, but was also the first title for any women’s team in Briar Cliff history.

Irlbeck, a four-year member of the Dakota Wesleyan golf program, earned his bachelor’s degree from Dakota Wesleyan in 2006 and his master’s degree from DWU two years later.  Irlbeck was a senior team captain and was a two-time all-Great Plains Athletic Conference selection for the Tigers.

Since then, he has continued to compete at a high level. He represented South Dakota in the USGA Men’s State Team Championship in 2013 and won the SDGA Men’s Match Play tournament and was runner-up at the Men’s State Amateur, 2012.  He also has three SDGA Match Play Championship runner-up finishes in 2005, 2010 and 2015.

In Irlbeck’s first three summers in Sioux City, he tallied up 4 club championships (Green Valley, 2 – Two Rivers, 2) and won a Tri-State Master’s title in a sudden death playoff (72-68-77). 

In the summer of 2016, Irlbeck turned professional and played in multiple Dakota’s Mini-Tour events. His best finish was a T26/52 with scores of 76-70 at The Ridge in Sioux Center, Iowa. He has since regained his Amatuer status through the USGA and plays in amateur tournaments around the tri-state area.

Irlbeck enjoys multiple other activities including camping with his family, bowhunting, and fishing.

Ben and his wife, Marcee, have a daughter, Kaia, and a son, Keaton. They reside in Elk Point, South Dakota.