Courtesy of Navy Athletics Communications
ANNAPOLIS, Md. — After directing Barry University to three NCAA Div. II National Championships and more than 50 team tournament titles, two-time NCAA Div. II National Coach of the Year Jimmy Stobs has been named head coach of the Navy men’s golf program it was announced today by the Naval Academy Director of Athletics Chet Gladchuk. Stobs, who was inducted into the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) Hall of Fame in 2015, has coached 49 All-Americans and 23 Scholar All-Americans in his 20 years as a collegiate coach.
“We welcome Coach Stobs to a long list of nationally-recognized and highly-accomplished head coaches at the Naval Academy,” said Gladchuk. “Our midshipmen deserve the finest accomplished veterans as head coaches and Jimmy Stobs fits that description in every dimension. I am so very impressed with not only what he has achieved as a professional player and coach, but also what an amazing national leader and role model he is in the profession at large Pat Owenour Director of Men’s and Women’s Golf, and I am elated that Jimmy Stobs is joining the Navy team.”
“I am extremely excited to join the Navy family and would like to thank you Chet Gladchuk spirit Pat Owen for this unbelievable opportunity,” said Stobs. “I look forward to working with the players and assisting in their development. We will work very hard to achieve our goals.”
One of the sport’s most accomplished coaches, Stobs built the Barry men’s golf program into a Division II powerhouse. Under his direction, Barry has won three NCAA Division II National Championships (2007, 2013 and 2014). The Bucs made 18 of their 19 NCAA Tournament appearances during Stobs’ tenure, while making finals appearances in 14 of his 20 years.
Stobs became the first coach in NCAA history in any division to win national championships under the two formats used to crown a champion. In 2007, he led Barry to the national title under the stroke play-only format. In 2013 and 2014, the Buccaneers won championships awarded to teams which, after emerging from the stroke play, were victorious in the match play format.
In addition to the 49 GCAA All-Americans in which he coached at Barry, three players under his tutelage have been named the Jack Nicklaus Division II National Player of the Year, including AJ Ewart who won the prestigious award this past spring. Ewart also became just the second Division II player and first from Barry to win the Golfstat Cup (nation’s lowest stroke average) with his 69.48 scoring average.
Following a successful 10-year professional playing career, Stobs began his coaching career at Barry in the fall of 2002 where the Bucs would experience immediate success. Stobs led the Bucs to the NCAA Division II South/Southeast Super Regional for the first time in program history in his inaugural season (2003) while John Quigley became the first Barry men’s golfer to earn an individual bid to the NCAA Division II South Region Tournament . A year later, Barry finished second at the Sunshine State Conference (SSC) Tournament and went on to place second in the NCAA Regional. By virtue of their finish at the Super Regional, the Bucs made their first appearance at the NCAA Division II National Championship where they placed third. Ryan Lamond tied for 10th at the NCAA Tournament and became the first men’s golfer in Barry history to earn GCAA All-America honors. Stobs, meanwhile, was named the Division II South Region Coach of the Year, his first of six citations earned at Barry.
Just five years into his stay in Miami Shores, Stobs was named GCAA Division II National Coach of the Year after leading the Buccaneers to an unprecedented 121-35-5 tournament record and the 2007 NCAA Division II national title — the first in program history. . The Buccaneers finished in the top 10 in all 12 of their tournaments with nine top five finishes.
The 2019-20 team was one of the program’s best, as Barry claimed a divisional-best five team titles under Stobs’ tutelage before the season was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic. When Barry suspended all athletic activities, the team was ranked No. 1 in the country heading into the final stretch of the season.
Last year, AJ Ewart was the NCAA South Region individual medalist and led Barry to the national finals for the first time since 2019 and the 14th time under Stobs. Top-ranked Barry placed second in the 20-team field which featured eight of the top-10 programs in the country. Stobs was named the SSC Coach of the Year and was among five finalists for the 2022 Dave Williams Award presented to the Division II men’s golf national coach of the year after leading the Bus to wins in eight tournaments.
Stobs joined the Barry staff in the fall of 2002 after 10 years playing professional golf. He played on several different tours, including the Nike (1997), Golden Bear, South American, Montgomery, South Florida and Trans-Act Mortgage tours. Throughout his 10-year professional career, Stobs enjoyed great success, winning 25 mini-tour events, including the 1998 Florida Open.
A graduate of Florida Atlantic with a bachelor’s degree in communications, Stobs played for the Owls in 1991-92 under Mary Mills. He was part of a squad which won four consecutive tournaments and finished fourth in the NCAA Division II national tournament, earning the team’s sportsmanship award. He also played for Georgia Southern from 1987-90.
Stobs is an active member of the GCAA, and has been one of two Division II coaches to serve on the GCAA National Board of Directors. In the summer of 2008, Stobs was selected as the head coach for the 2008 USA team that competed in the Fuji/Xerox Championship in Tokyo, Japan, and helped Team USA take back the title in the annual event. In 2015, he coached the USA to a fourth-place finish at the Toyota Junior World Golf Cup in Japan.
Stobs has also served on several regional and national committees throughout his career at Barry. In 2008, he served on the GCAA International Team Selection Committee and the Jack Nicklaus Award Committee. Stobs has been a part of the GCAA All-America and All-Freshman committee since 2005, serving as chairman in 2008, and has served on the NCAA South Region selection committee since 2006. He previously served on the David Toms Award Committee, given to the collegiate golfer who overcomes adversity.
A native of Miami, Stobs began his coaching career at Miami Country Day School in 1994. He is married to the former Carrie Santis.
Stobs By The Numbers
• 3 NCAA Division II National Champions // 2007, 2013, 2014
• 14 National Finals Appearances // 2004, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022
• 19 National Tournament Appearances // 1998, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022
• 5 Sunshine State Conference Champions // 2013, 2014, 2017, 2019, 2022
• 19 NCAA Regional/Super Regional appearances, including 2010 and 2014 regional titles
• 2 Division II National Coach of the Year by the Golf Coaches Association of America // 2007, 2013
• 49 GCAA All-Americans, including First-Team members Hernan Borja, Chris Carlin, AJ Ewart, Daniel Stapff, Adam Svensson (2x), Scott Smyers, Jorge Garcia and Niclas Weiland (2x)
• 3 Jack Nicklaus DII National Player of the Year // Adam Svensson (2014), Jorge Garcia (2019), AJ Ewart (2022)
• 1 Phil Mickelson Division II Freshman of the Year // 2013 (Adam Svensson)
• 56 team tournament wins in program history
• 4 Sunshine State Conference Freshman of the Year awards // Victor Billskoog (2006), Adam Svensson (2013), Mario Beltran (2014), Niclas Weiland (2016)
• 4 Sunshine State Conference Players of the Year // Daniel Stapff (2010), Adam Svensson (2014), Jorge Garcia (2019), AJ Ewart (2022)
• 23 Scholar All-Americans, including two CoSIDA Academic All-Americans in Patrick Brisley (2000) and Daniel Stapff (2012)
• Daniel Stapff named NCAA Division II Elite 89 award winner in 2012 and NCAA Division II Elite 88 recipient in 2010
• Jimmy Stobs, who coached the United States team at the 2015 TOYOTA Junior Golf World Cup in Japan, was inducted into the GCAA Hall of Fame in 2015