WICHITA, Kan.- Wichita State men's head golf coach Grier Jones announced Friday that he will retire at the end of the 2019 spring season. Jones will move into a volunteer assistant coach role for the 2019-20 season.

Jones is in his 24th season at the helm of the men's golf program, where he has obtained more conference championships and NCAA Regional appearances than any head coach in program history.

"We are extremely grateful to Grier for everything he has accomplished at Wichita State over the last 24 years," Wichita State Director of Athletics Darron Boatright said. "He has positively impacted our men's golf program and student-athletes in many ways and we wish him and his family the very best as they move on to the next stage of their life. We look forward to him being celebrated during this spring season for all of his career achievements."

Hired in 1995, Jones rejuvenated the men's golf program at Wichita State. In 1999, in just his fourth season, the Shockers captured their first conference championship in 20 years.

Jones, the 13-time Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year, has led Wichita State to 15 conference championships and helped take the Shockers' success to the national stage. Wichita State made 13 NCAA Regional appearances under Jones, with the Shockers advancing to the NCAA Championship in 2003 and 2004, their first appearance since 1979.

With the guidance of a former 14-year PGA Tour golfer, Jones' players earned 60 all-conference selections and eight conference Player of the Year awards. The Kansas Sports Hall of Fame inductee has coached three players to All-America honors, with Dustin Garza becoming the program's first player to be named a First-Team All-American in 2010.

In May 2007, Jones was the lone coach named to the Missouri Valley Conference All-Centennial Team in addition to two of his former players (Judd Easterling and Ryan Spears).

The Shockers have started Jones' final campaign in 2018-19 by breaking the school record for the lowest 18-round score with a 267 at the Joe Feaganes Marshall Invitational in September, giving him his 51st win overall. Wichita State begins the spring portion of the season on Feb. 11 at the Farms Invitational in San Diego. 

"The coaching and working with the kids has always been easy," Jones said. "Trying to fit in with this generation and the paperwork is what's been difficult recently. I've enjoyed every minute of my time at Wichita State, even through some of the years where we didn't play as well. I've had a lot of great young men and a lot of great parents. The last 24 years have been a lot of fun and I've enjoyed every minute of it." 

Wichita State will honor Jones with a commemorative ceremony at halftime of the final men's basketball home game against ECU on March 5.