- Nebraska Head Coach (2021-Present)
- Assistant Coach (2019-21)
- Nebraska Wesleyan Head Coach (1995-2013)
- Nebraska Wesleyan Assistant Coach (1992-1995)
- Coached Nebraska Wesleyan to 2006 NCAA Division III Men’s Golf National Championship
- Winning Coach of First National Championship of any kind in Nebraska Wesleyan History
- Winner of 2006 GCAA Dave Williams National Coach of Year
- Selected the 2006 Omaha World-Herald State College Coach of the Year
- Coached Team to 8 Top-10 Finishes at NCAA Division III National Golf Tournament since 1999
- Fourteen-Time NIAC/GPAC Conference Coach of the Year recipient
- Coached Nebraska Wesleyan to 74 Tournament Titles in 18 Years as Head Coach
- Elected by Peers as the only Division III representative on the Golf Coaches Association of America National Advisory Board
- Acted as Tournament Director for 2002 and 2006 NCAA Division III National Golf Championships
- Coached 24 All-Americans
- Coached 14 GCAA All-America Scholars
Balak, who has spent the two seasons (2019-20, 2020-21) as an assistant coach for the Husker program, previously spent 18 seasons as the head coach at Nebraska Wesleyan (1995-2013). He led the Prairie Wolves to eight top-10 finishes at the NCAA Division III Championship from 1999 to 2013, including the 2006 NCAA title. It was the first national championship for any team across all sports in Nebraska Wesleyan history. For his performance, Balak was named the 2006 Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) Dave Williams National Coach of the Year.
“It is truly an honor and a privilege to have the opportunity to lead the Nebraska men’s golf program,” Balak said. “I have had an opportunity to be part of the start of the building process at Nebraska for the past two years and I am confident in the direction we are headed. We have some talented and hard-working golfers returning to our program, and we are looking forward to climbing the ladder in the Big Ten to contend for conference championships and NCAA regional bids in the future.”
In his time as the head coach across town at Nebraska Wesleyan, Balak coached 24 All-Americans and was a 14-time conference (NIAC or GPAC) coach of the year. His Prairie Wolves won 74 tournament titles in his 18 seasons, an average of better than four tournament victories each year. Balak was also the 2006 Omaha World-Herald State College Coach of the Year across all men’s sports.
A Schuyler, Nebraska native, Balak served as the tournament director for both the 2002 and 2006 NCAA Division III National Championships. He was elected by his peers as the lone NCAA Division III representative on the GCAA National Advisory Board. He also coached 14 GCAA All-America Scholars as Wesleyan’s head coach.
Balak led the Prairie Wolves to 10 consecutive NCAA Division III Championship appearances from 2004 to 2013, before stepping away from coaching to pursue interests in private business.
Balak, who began his coaching career as an assistant at Nebraska Wesleyan from 1992 to 1995, co-founded The Putting Key, a putting aid company based in Omaha.
A 1991 graduate of Nebraska Wesleyan, Balak was a member of the men’s golf team at NWU, which earned three straight NCAA Championship appearances in 1989 (21st), 1990 (T15th) and 1991 (T11th). The NCAA appearances continued for Balak as an assistant at NWU in 1993 (20th), 1994 (T5th) and 1995 (15th). Overall, Balak contributed to 20 teams that finished in the top 24 in NCAA Division III, a level that includes more than 300 golf programs.
Balak has one daughter, Isabella.
Balak's NCAA Championship Success
Year | Div. III Championships | School (Role) | Team Finish |
1989 | NCAA Championships | Nebraska Wesleyan (Golfer) | 21st |
1990 | NCAA Championships | Nebraska Wesleyan (Golfer) | T15th |
1991 | NCAA Championships | Nebraska Wesleyan (Golfer) | T11th |
1993 | NCAA Championships | Nebraska Wesleyan (Assistant) | 20th |
1994 | NCAA Championships | Nebraska Wesleyan (Assistant) | T5th |
1995 | NCAA Championships | Nebraska Wesleyan (Assistant) | 15th |
1998 | NCAA Championships | Nebraska Wesleyan (Head Coach) | 18th |
1999 | NCAA Championships | Nebraska Wesleyan (Head Coach) | 11th |
2000 | NCAA Championships | Nebraska Wesleyan (Head Coach) | T11th |
2002 | NCAA Championships | Nebraska Wesleyan (Head Coach) | 6th |
2004 | NCAA Championships | Nebraska Wesleyan (Head Coach) | 8th |
2005 | NCAA Championships | Nebraska Wesleyan (Head Coach) | 5th |
2006 | NCAA Championships | Nebraska Wesleyan (Head Coach) | 1st |
2007 | NCAA Championships | Nebraska Wesleyan (Head Coach) | T10th |
2008 | NCAA Championships | Nebraska Wesleyan (Head Coach) | 20th |
2009 | NCAA Championships | Nebraska Wesleyan (Head Coach) | T10th |
2010 | NCAA Championships | Nebraska Wesleyan (Head Coach) | T17th |
2011 | NCAA Championships | Nebraska Wesleyan (Head Coach) | 24th |
2012 | NCAA Championships | Nebraska Wesleyan (Head Coach) | 19th |
2013 | NCAA Championships | Nebraska Wesleyan (Head Coach) | T17th |
Career | 20 NCAA Appearances | 14 NCAA Appearances as Head Coach | 1 NCAA Title |