A native of Charlotte, North Carolina, Andre Springs is a pioneering leader in collegiate golf, a trailblazer in the golf industry, and a lifelong champion of HBCU athletics. For more than four decades, he has distinguished himself as an accomplished player, coach, administrator, mentor, and advocate for expanding opportunities in the game of golf.
Springs began his collegiate golf career at Fayetteville State University in 1975, where he made history as the first freshman to win the CIAA Golf Championship. That same year, he was named Fayetteville State University's Most Outstanding Freshman and earned NAIA All-American honors while being selected to the All-CIAA Tournament Team. A three-time team Most Valuable Player, Springs helped lead the Broncos to four consecutive CIAA team championships. He graduated from Fayetteville State University in 1979 with a Bachelor's degree in Physical Education. In recognition of his outstanding achievements, he became the first golfer inducted into the Fayetteville State University Athletic Hall of Fame in 1990. In 2023, the 1975-76 CIAA Championship golf team was also inducted into the university's Athletic Hall of Fame.
In 1979, Springs became Head Men's Golf Coach at Livingstone College, where he built one of the premier golf programs in the CIAA. During his tenure, his teams captured multiple CIAA Championships, three National Minority Golf Championships, and earned numerous NCAA Championship appearances. Under his leadership, Livingstone golfers excelled both on the course and in the classroom, earning multiple CIAA Academic Awards and producing two class valedictorians: Philip Leon Harrison (2018) and Aliga Ibrahim (2026). Springs has been recognized five times as CIAA Golf Coach of the Year, receiving the honor in 1986, 1987, 2015, 2022, and 2025.
His impact extends well beyond competition. In 1987, Springs founded a minority youth golf clinic designed to introduce young people to the game and prepare them for local and national competition. The program helped expand access to golf for countless aspiring players and reflected his lifelong commitment to mentorship and community service.
A respected trailblazer in the golf industry, Springs became the first Black General Manager of Highland Park Golf Club in Cleveland, Ohio, serving from 1988 to 1992. In 2000, he broke another barrier as the first black teaching professional at Birkdale Golf Club, an Arnold Palmer-designed course in Huntersville, North Carolina. During Birkdale's grand opening tournament, Springs had the distinct honor of serving as a caddie for the legendary Arnold Palmer. He later became the inaugural Director of The First Tee of Lake Norman, helping introduce and develop the game among young golfers throughout the region.
Springs returned to Livingstone College in 2010 to revitalize the golf program and also served as Assistant Athletic Director for Fundraising. In 2012, he was appointed Athletic Director by President Dr. Jimmy R. Jenkins. During his tenure, Livingstone Athletics experienced historic success, including the men's basketball program capturing two CIAA Championships—the first in school history. Following his retirement as Athletic Director in 2019, Springs continued his service to the institution as Head Men's Golf Coach. In 2023, he was appointed Special Assistant to the President for External Affairs by President Dr. Anthony J. Davis.
Throughout his distinguished career, Springs and his teams have received numerous honors. His 1989 Livingstone College golf team was inducted into the Livingstone College Athletic Hall of Fame in 2012, and the 2015 golf team was inducted into the African American Golfers Hall of Fame in 2023. Springs himself has been inducted into the CIAA Hall of Fame, the African American Golfers Hall of Fame, the National Black Golf Hall of Fame, the Fayetteville State University Athletic Hall of Fame, the Mecklenburg County Sports Wall of Fame, HBCU Legends (North Carolina), and the Black College Golf Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
On February 1, 2026, Springs assumed the presidency of the Black College Golf Coaches Association (BCGCA), bringing championship experience, visionary leadership, and a deep commitment to advancing opportunities for student-athletes and golf programs at Historically Black Colleges and Universities nationwide.
Coach Springs is a member of the United States Golf Teachers Federation, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated, Alpha Phi Omega Service Fraternity, Incorporated, and the Par Busters Golf Group. He resides in Charlotte, North Carolina, with his wife, Joy Paige Springs. Together they are the proud parents of three sons and grandparents of five grandchildren.
