Caledonia native and MUW alum Mark Furnari named head golf coach at East Mississippi
With a championship background at the high school and university levels, Caledonia’s Mark Furnari has been hired as the head men’s and women’s golf coach at East Mississippi Community College. His hiring was announced Thursday by EMCC Director of Athletics Sharon Thompson.
MAYHEW – With a championship background at the high school and university levels, Caledonia's Mark Furnari has been hired as the head men's and women's golf coach at East Mississippi Community College. His hiring was announced Thursday by EMCC Director of Athletics Sharon Thompson.
"We are excited to have Mark Furnari join the EMCC family by leading our men's and women's golf teams," Thompson said. "He's very eager and motivated to sustain EMCC's golf programs after having been associated with former EMCC head golf coach Benji Williams' successful MUW golf program for the past six years."
Furnari was a member of consecutive state championship teams for Caledonia High School and most recently a part of back-to-back conference championship squads the past two years for the Mississippi University for Women men's golf program. He gained valuable coaching experience this past season serving as a graduate assistant for head coach Benji Williams' Owls. MUW earned a second straight automatic bid to the NCAA Division III national championship after claiming a second consecutive St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC) championship earlier this month. This week's representation in the national tournament for the Owls is being highlighted by Zach Riley having made the cut to compete in the final rounds on Thursday and Friday (May 22-23) in Penfield, N.Y.
"Being named the head golf coach at EMCC is one of the biggest blessings of my life," Furnari said. "My goal at EMCC is to build not only a winning culture but a culture built around team camaraderie. I live by the idea that success is not owned but rented, and rent is due every day."
While at The W, Furnari played for and coached with Williams, who had previously served as EMCC's men's golf coach for four seasons (2014-18) until starting up the MUW men's golf program in 2018 and the women's program in 2020. During the 2023-24 golf season, Furnari participated as a graduate student-athlete for the Owls after having earned his bachelor's degree in general business. This past year as an MUW graduate assistant coach, Furnari worked with repeat all-conference performers Riley, Matt Wilkinson and Luke Yocum as well as former EMCC golfers Spence Davis, Matthew Phillips, Daniel Martin and Carter Martin.
As an undergrad on the Columbus-based campus, Furnari was a multi-time selection to the MUW Athletic Director's Academic Honor Roll. On the links, he was a member of the Owls' 2022-23 team that finished second nationally at the United States Collegiate Athletic Association championships prior to the university's move to NCAA Division III status in athletics.
At the prep level, Furnari was a four-year golf letterwinner for head coach Bradley Tate's Caledonia High School squad that claimed back-to-back Mississippi High School Athletics Association (MHSAA) Class 4A state boys' golf championships in 2015 and 2016.
Furnari is the oldest of two sons of Matt and Jacque Furnari. His father, Matt, pitched for EMCC Sports Hall of Fame baseball coach Bill Baldner during the 1995 and 1996 seasons and is currently a member of the Lowndes County Board of Supervisors for District 1. Matt's mother is a teacher at Caledonia Middle School and an alderwoman for the town of Caledonia. Furnari's brother, Jack, attends Caledonia High School.