Now starting her third year on the Fighting Camel staff, Valeria Patino was promoted to Women’s Golf Head Coach at Campbell University in June 2026.
A former five-time Big Sky all-conference performer, Patino was named assistant coach at Campbell in August 2024 and elevated to Associate Head Coach one year later. She took over leadership of the program from Hall of Fame Coach John Crooks, who guided the team to 26 NCAA postseason appearances in 35 years from 1991-2026.
In her first two seasons on the Camel staff, Patino helped lead the Camels to one postseason bid (2025) and a pair of third-place finishes in the Coastal Athletic Conference Championship. She has mentored a CAA golfer of the year in addition to the 2025 CAA rookie of the year Fanni Gronlund.
“I’m thrilled to have one of the best young coaches in the country, Val Patino, step into the head coaching position for our women’s golf program,” said Director of Athletics Hannah Bazemore. “Since arriving on campus, Coach Patino has done an incredible job under Coach Crooks. She is ready for this role and will continue the legacy of this great program.”
During Patino’s first two seasons in Buies Creek, three Camel golfers earned CAA all-championship team (top 5) honors, including Jade Potter, who tied for fourth at the 2026 tourney. She has mentored four all-league performers in her first two years. In addition, 14 Camel players earned CAA Commissioner’s Honor Roll notice during her time with the program.
“I’m so excited to step into the role of Head Coach for the Campbell Women’s Golf team,” said Patino. “Over the past two years, first as Assistant Coach and most recently as Associate Head Coach, I’ve seen firsthand just how special this program is and how much potential our student athletes have. It’s both humbling and inspiring to lead a group that is so driven, talented, and committed to growing on and off the course. I’m grateful for the opportunity to continue building on our strong foundation and excited to guide this team as we push toward new heights.”
During her first season in Buies Creek, she helped guide the Camels to a No. 51 national ranking, and an at-large berth in the NCAA Lubbock Regional. In addition, she helped lead Campbell to a win at the Golfweek Fall Challenge, plus runner-up finishes at the Tiger Classic, The Southern, Mercedes Benz Intercollegiate and City of Oaks Collegiate.
In three trips to tournaments hosted by “power conference” programs, Patino helped the Camels finish 2-0-1 combined against Clemson, Tennessee and NC State.
Patino helped develop the 2025 Coastal Athletic Association co-golfer of the year Alicia Olsson and fellow first-team all-conference performer Mira Berglund. She also coached the 2025 CAA rookie of the year Fanni Gronlund.
“Valeria Patino spent the last four years as an assistant coach and is the right person to lead our women’s program in the coming years,” said Crooks. “She is an excellent recruiter, an outstanding competitor, and possesses the patience to be a great coach. Coach Val has shown the energy and determination to help each student athlete improve and advance during their collegiate career.”
Patino joined the Fighting Camel program in August 2024 after spending the previous two years as graduate assistant coach at Ball State.
In two seasons at Ball State, Patino helped the Cardinals win two team tournament titles and improve their national ranking by 50 places. During her tenure, Ball State golfers set 18- and 54-hole program records and improved their scoring averages by seven strokes over 18 holes and 27 shots over 54 holes.
Born in Florida and raised in Panama, Patino earned Big Sky first-team all-conference recognition three times (2019-21) and was twice selected second-team all-league (2018, 2022) during her playing career at the University of Idaho. She helped the Vandals win the 2018 Big Sky Championship and earn a place in the NCAA Madison Regional.
Patino tied for 12th in the 2018 Big Sky Championship and posted top-10 finishes in each of her next three conference tournaments.
Patino earned her bachelor’s degree in marketing from Idaho in 2022 and a master’s degree in sport administration from Ball State in 2024. While at Ball State, she completed a marketing internship in the athletics department. As an undergraduate, she interned with the Vandals’ sports marketing program as well.
She represented Panama in numerous junior events, including the Junior Open. Patino was also ranked first on the Texas junior tour in 2017 while spending her final two prep years at Seven Lakes High School in Katy, Texas.
