Garnett Purnell, Wittenberg's director of athletics and recreation since August 1999, took the reins of the men's golf team in January 2004. He assumed the duties after Scott Isphording stepped down in December 2003, and he held the position through 2007.

In his first year at the helm of the Tiger men's golf program, Purnell led Wittenberg to one of its best seasons in recent memory. The Tigers finished ahead of nearly 70 percent of the teams it competed against (based on tournament finishes during the spring season only), and they capped the season by placing three players on the All-North Coast Athletic Conference honor roll en route to a fourth-place finish in the NCAC Championships. The only teams to defeat Wittenberg in the conference championships were ranked nationally and qualified for the 2004 NCAA Division III Tournament. Then in 2005, the Tigers place fourth in the NCAC Championships after leading the tournament through the first day and two players reached All-NCAC accolades. That was followed by a strong third-place NCAC finish in 2006 with a five-man lineup that included four freshmen, led by Garrett Smith, who placed third and earned first-team All-NCAC, and a third in 2007 with a roster comprised completely of freshmen and sophomores.

Purnell has an extensive background in intercollegiate athletics in southwest Ohio, where he began his coaching and administrative career in athletics. Purnell served six years as Assistant Athletic Director for Student Affairs at the University of Cincinnati, and five years as a Compliance Representative with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) prior to moving to Morgan State University in Baltimore. Purnell also brings with him a coaching background that includes four years at Central State University as an assistant football and basketball coach.

Since his arrival at Wittenberg, the Tigers advanced from fifth place in the NCAC all-sports standings to third in 1999-2000 and 2000-01 and second in 2001-02 and 2002-03. In 2003, Wittenberg finished 20th in the Directors' Cup standings, its best finish in the nine years of the competition. Purnell also served as assistant field hockey coach when a vacancy appeared early in the fall season of his first year at Wittenberg.

Purnell introduced Wittenberg and the Springfield community to the National Youth Sports Program (NYSP), an athletic and enrichment program for local youths. It is one of more than 200 such programs run each summer across the country with funding from the NCAA and the Department of Health and Human Services.

A native of Philadelphia, Purnell received his bachelor's degree from Cheyney University in 1973 and his master's degree from the University of Dayton in 1984. Purnell and his wife, Sally, reside in Springfield and have four children: Lauren, Luke, Leslie and Xavior.