SUNY Cortland Athletics

Robert Branham was a two-time All-American and three-time NCAA qualifying golfer at Cortland, and a long-time coach and teacher, primarily in the Norwich City Schools.
 
* The Norwich, N.Y., native earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education from Cortland in 1977 and a master’s degree in physical education from Cortland in 1982
 
* Men’s golfer four seasons from 1973-77 (Red Letter Award winner all four years)
 
* Two-time NCAA All-American – second team honoree in 1976 (tied for sixth nationally) and third team in 1977 (17th nationally); qualified for 1975 NCAA Championships (tied for 43rd) and was medalist at 1975 and 1977 NCAA qualifiers
 
* Two-time State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) individual champion in 1973 and 1975. Four-time Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Championship qualifier, including medalist in 1976, tied for sixth in 1975 and tied for 11th in 1974
 
* Medalist twice at tournaments in the fall of 1974, four in the fall of 1975 and five in 1976. Finished with a 74.6 scoring average in the fall of 1975 and 75.2 in the fall of 1976.
 
* Two-time medalist in 1974 and 1975 at the Brook-lea Intercollegiate Invitational in Rochester and posted a five-under-par 67 in a win over Ithaca in 1977
 
* Selected for Outstanding College Athletes of America for 1975 for leadership, service, scholarship and outstanding athletic achievement
 
* Physical education teacher at South New Berlin School from 1977-79, Botetourt County Middle School (Va.) in 1979-80, Schoharie Central School from 1980-87, and Norwich City Schools from 1987 until his retirement in 2011
 
* Coached basketball, softball, football and golf at Norwich from 1987-2014 as well as golf, basketball and baseball at Schoharie, football, basketball and track at Botetourt County Middle School, and football and basketball at South New Berlin. Assisted Norwich boys’ basketball to New York State Public High School Athletic Association state titles in 1993 and 1994 and a Federation state title in 1993
 
* First amateur to ever qualify for the BC Open golf tournament in 1983; also amateur participant in a Ben Hogan Tour Tournament
 
* Multi-year participant at NYS Amateur Golf Tournament (best finish third place) and NYS Senior Amateur Golf Tournament (first place age group finish twice)
 
* Triple Cities Amateur champion and two-time John Grandeo Open champion
 
* Member of Hall of Fame at Canasawacta Country Club – 24-time club champion, 10-time member-guest champion and 3-time senior member-guest champion
 
* Member of NYS Golf Association Course Rating Team
 
* Member of Section 4 Hall of Fame as a 1973 Oxford Academy and Central School alumnus who competed in football, basketball, baseball and golf