BUTTE -- When Sean Ryan first took the helm of the Montana Tech men's and women's golf programs, it was yet another act of service to his alma mater. 

The 2016 Montana Tech graduate had been a volunteer assistant under his former mentor, Lee LaBreche, when LaBreche suddenly passed away in February 2019. Somebody had to steer the ship, and Ryan was the obvious man for the job.

It was a bittersweet moment, but Ryan rose to the occasion. He was the interim for the remainder of the 2018-19 season and officially took the program over in August of 2019. Over the following six seasons, he helped the Montana Tech men's program reach past glory and the women's program to unprecedented heights.

Now that chapter has ended; Ryan informed the teams that the 2025 season would be his last as coach. He left his role as Montana Tech's director of alumni engagement last month for an opportunity outside of higher education. A search is ongoing for Ryan's successor as the head men's and women's golf coach.

"Sean Ryan has been a pillar of Montana Tech golf for more than a decade, first as a student-athletes and then as coach," Orediggers athletic director Matt Stepan said. "He stepped into a difficult role following the passing of Coach LaBreche and carried the program forward with integrity and purpose. His relentless commitment to recruiting the best Montana talent and building a competitive and cohesive team has left a lasting mark on the Oredigger golf program."

Ryan's journey with the Orediggers began in 2012. An all-state golfer at Great Falls Central, Ryan came to Butte and enjoyed a successful four-year career with the Orediggers, where he played as high as No. 2 in the lineup and finished in the top 25 at the Frontier Conference championship.

He remained involved with the program — and the sport, his master's degree capstone project, "Montana's Longest Drive: Using a Technical Communication Skillset to Design, Develop, and Promote Golf in Montana," entailed playing every golf course in Montana — and volunteered his time to coach his former teammates.

After becoming the head coach, Ryan mentored Montana Tech's second-ever Frontier Conference men's championship medalist, Sean Ramsbacher, and both teams appeared in the NAIA top 25 poll at points during his tenure. This past season, Montana Tech's women's program earned its first two team tournament wins, and Emma Woods became the Orediggers' first-ever tournament medalist and Frontier Conference women's golfer of the week.

"Stepping away was one of the hardest decisions I've ever had to make," Ryan said. "But I'm incredibly grateful for the opportunity I've had to work beside and learn from director of athletics Matt Stepan — and to help build a golf program that our campus, our community, and this state can be proud of. I've been lucky to coach some of Montana's very best student-athletes, and that's a privilege I'll never take for granted."

But for Ryan, the most impactful part of the job has been the relationships. And it was time to direct those efforts more to relationships at home, that of his wife, Sara, and three young children.

"This team has been a part of my family for a long time—and these golfers have felt like my own kids," he said. "Over the better part of 13 years, I've gone from student-athlete to volunteer assistant to head coach, and through all of it, I've been surrounded by people who love this program as much as I do. I'm so proud of the family we've built here. I'll always be these golfers' biggest fan—and in my heart, I'll always think of them as mine.

Now, with three kids under the age of three, my focus has to shift to the 'Ryan Family Golf Team.' It's time to pour that same love, energy, and commitment into the next chapter—with my own little crew."

Ryan's legacy of passion for and service to Montana Tech will certainly last.

"Sean's impact on Montana Tech golf goes far beyond the scorecard," Stepan said. "His passion for the sport and belief in the mission of Oredigger athletics made him a valued member of our coaching staff. While we're sad to see him go, we're incredibly proud of his contributions and excited to see what lies ahead for him professionally."

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