HARTSVILLE, S.C. – Coker College Head Men’s Golf Coach Tommy Baker announced the signing of Luke Coates to a National Letter of Intent to play golf for the Cobras during the 2011-12 season.

Coates is a native of Florence, S.C., where he was a standout golfer at The Kings Academy. He was a 2010 South Carolina Independent Schools Association (SCISA) All-Region and All-State player; he was the SCISA AA State Championship and the SCISA Region 4-AA Tournament Champion. Luke also was also a Carolinas Junior Championship Qualifier, a South Carolina Junior Championship Qualifier and the winner of the South Carolina Optimist International Tournament.

“Luke is a young man we expect to make an immediate impact next season,” said Baker. “We hope his success in the junior ranks will carry over into his collegiate career. He has great accuracy off the tee and an impeccable short game.”

Coates joins a very talented Cobra golf team that looks to carry their successful fall play into the spring season. The Cobras won the 2010 Lenoir-Rhyne Myrtle Beach Intercollegiate Tournament, while also finishing in the top 10 in two other tournaments this fall.

Coker will begin their spring season on February 21-22 at the Armstrong Atlantic Pirate Invitational in Savannah, Ga.