Leila Raines has been hired as an assistant coach by Grand Canyon women’s golf head coach Brent Nicoson. Raines hails from Michigan State, where between 2021 and 2024, she was named an Academic All-Big Ten honoree and a four-time Women’s Golf Coaches Association All-American Scholar. Having competed in four years, once as an individual and three times as a member of the team, she is the only former Spartan to have ever qualified for the NCAA Division I National Championship.
She has worked at golf facilities in the Columbus, Ohio, area as a private golf instructor for five years. “We are very fortunate to have a highly successful player and leader like Leila joining our program as our assistant coach,” Niccoson added. The fact that Coach Raines is a genuinely wonderful person and will play a significant role in establishing and preserving a championship-caliber culture at GCU is what I admire and love about her. Along with her expertise and enthusiasm for golf, she also brings that which made her a top player.
Throughout her playing career, she broke multiple records, such as the freshman low round scoring record of 66, the 54-hole record of 203 (69/69/65), and the 54-hole scoring record at an NCAA regional (73/68/69 – 210). At the end of her career, she was rated 10th on the list of the greatest single season scoring averages (72.81) in 2023–24 and sixth all-time in the Michigan State career scoring average records (73.87).
With five top-five finishes, nine top-10 positions, and sixteen top-20 showings in tournaments, she has established herself as one of the finest Spartans in recent years. She was a member of her team’s 2021 Big Ten Championship team and was selected for the 2022 All-Big Ten Championship Team. Raines achieved Big Ten Distinguished Scholar status by excelling in the classroom. Born and raised in Galena, Ohio, Raines completed his high school education at Olentangy Berlin High School.
WHAT IS SAID BY THEM “We are overjoyed and extremely proud of Leila for her desire to work as a collegiate coach. Leila was a Spartan who had an amazing career. With the young ladies she will assist Coach Nicoson in mentoring, she will be able to impart a wealth of information about the game as well as advice on how to succeed academically and athletically.” Head women’s golf coach at Michigan State University, Stacy Slobodnik-Stoll