The summer amateur golf season has come and gone as the calendar progresses to yet another college season. The college golf coaching carousel was spinning fast this summer, and after a busy offseason some familiar faces have found themselves in new places for the fall.
Longtime assistants are finally getting a chance to lead a program. Former head coaches are taking another shot at success with a different school. Some coaches have even moved up from Division II to Division I.
Take a scroll through some of the coaches in new positions who have something to prove in the 2022-23 season.
More: College golf job blog
Jean-Paul Hebert, UNLV men’s head coach
After 12 years in Austin as an assistant for the Texas men, who won the 2022 and 2012 national championships, Hebert is heading for the bright lights of Las Vegas to take over for legendary UNLV men’s head coach Dwaine Knight. Hebert is just the third head coach in the program’s history and has some big shoes to fill.
Michael “Chub” Drakulich was UNLV’s first full-time head golf coach in 1972 and held the job until Knight took over in fall 1987. The Rebels advanced to an NCAA Regional for 31 consecutive years through 2019, with 11 top-eight finishes and a national championship in 1998.
During his time at Texas, Hebert coached under John Fields, who was part of Knight’s coaching staff back in the day.
“I’ve had some great opportunities in the game of golf, and the opportunity here in Las Vegas is a special one,” said Hebert.
Hebert played his college golf at Texas from 1989-94. His father, Jay, was the 1960 PGA Champion and 1971 Ryder Cup captain and his uncle, Lionel, won the 1957 PGA Championship.
Caroline Westrup, Missouri women’s head coach
A former SEC assistant coach has taken the reigns of an SEC program. Caroline Westrup, who most recently served as the assistant women’s coach at Georgia, was named the head women’s coach at Missouri this summer. Westrup replaces Stephanie Priesmeyer, who made the change from coaching to a new development role within the athletic department.
The Swede was a four-time All-American at Florida State from 2005-09 and after a nine-year professional career spent time at IMG Academy as a coach.
Westrup joined the Swedish national team at 14 years old and helped lead her country to three European team championships. She was also a member of the victorious European side at the 2003 Junior Solheim Cup.
Demi Runas, UC Davis women’s head coach
UC Davis hasn’t won the Big West since 2015 and will look to one of its best players to lead them back. A member of the Aggie Athletics Hall of Fame, Demi Runas was named the head women’s coach at UC Davis in July and knows a thing or two about success in the college golf world. Runas helped UC Davis capture the Big West team championship every year she competed (2010-13) and even won the individual title in 2013. The Aggies made the NCAA postseason all four years and advanced from the regional to the national finals in her sophomore and senior seasons. A three-time Big West Golfer of the Year, Runas also played 10 years professionally and became the program’s first player to earn her LPGA Tour card.
“My time as a student-athlete at UC Davis has always been special to me, and I am looking forward to my journey coming full circle as the head women’s golf coach,” Runas said. “As a former member of the team, I have seen first-hand the success this program is capable of, and I am excited for the opportunity to work towards that once again.”
David Trainor, Boise State men’s head coach
After the Akron men’s golf team was dissolved due to ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, David Trainor has been given another shot, this time as the head men’s coach at Boise State.
Trainor spent nine seasons with the Zips and before that was a member of the men’s golf staff at Kentucky for seven seasons, where he spent time as both an assistant and associate head coach. The Pennsylvania native was a four-year letterwinner at the College of Charleston, where he graduated in 2000.
Zack Byrd, Purdue women’s head coach
Zack Byrd is taking his national championship experience to Purdue, where he has replaced longtime women’s coach Devon Brouse, who retired at the end of last season. The former All-American at Coastal Carolina spent the past four seasons at Ole Miss, where he served as assistant coach before he was elevated to associate head coach following the team’s 2021 national title. Before Ole Miss, Byrd was an assistant coach at Colorado State.
Armen Kirakossian, UCLA men’s head coach
Armen Kirakossian is once again a head coach.
Kirakossian, who was named the UCLA men’s coach in June, was previously the head coach at his alma mater, Texas Pan American, before joining Pepperdine’s staff as an assistant from 2015-17. He then went to Arizona State for the past five seasons, where he spent three seasons as an assistant and two as associate head coach. Following the 2018-19 season, Kirakossian was named as the Strickland Award Winner, given to the top assistant coach in the country.
UCLA head coach Armen Kirakossian. (Photo: Jesus Ramirez, UCLA)
Jimmy Stobs, Navy men’s head coach
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 was named head coach of the Navy men’s golf program this summer. He replaces Pat Owen, who was announced as the director of men’s and women’s golf at the academy.
“We welcome Coach Stobs to a long list of nationally-recognized and highly-accomplished head coaches at the Naval Academy,” said Naval Academy Director of Athletics Chet 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. Both Pat Owen, our Director of Men’s and Women’s Golf, and I are elated that Jimmy Stobs is joining the Navy team.”
Stobs, who was inducted into the Golf Coaches Association of America Hall of Fame in 2015, guided Barry to the NCAA finals in 14 of his 20 years at the helm, winning the NCAA Div. II Championship in 2007, 2013 and 2014.
“I am extremely excited to join the Navy family and would like to thank Chet Gladchuk and 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.”
Stobs played his college golf at Florida Atlantic in 1991-92 and at Georgia Southern from 1987-90.
Janice Olivencia, Miami women’s head coach
In what may be the best hire in women’s golf this year, the University of Miami named Janice Olivencia as its head women’s golf coach after she spent the last 10 seasons at the University of Florida, serving as assistant coach from 2012-18 and associate head coach from 2018-22.
Olivencia started her coaching career at South Florida, helping the Bulls win their first Big East Championship and advance to NCAA regional play in 2012.
“We are excited to welcome Janice to the University of Miami family,” said Vice President/Director of Athletics Dan Radakovich. “Janice has had tremendous success as both a player and a coach and she has a clear vision for how we can build on the success of our golf program.”
As a player, Olivencia was a two-time All-American at the University of Texas and the 2002 Big 12 Player of the Year. She played professionally on the Ladies European Tour from 2005-08 and the LPGA’s Duramed Futures Tour from 2008-10 before beginning her coaching career.
Jacob Wilner, Coastal Carolina men’s head coach
After 13 years at the helm at Nevada, Jacob Wilner went back to his alma mater this summer to become the men’s head coach at Coastal Carolina.
“We are thrilled to welcome Jacob and his family back to Teal Nation. He has produced a consistent track record of head coaching success, most recently exemplified by his being named coach of the year in his conference,” said Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics and University Recreation Matt Hogue. “As an alum, he uniquely understands and appreciates the value of our program and is passionate about leading Chanticleer men’s golf to championship heights. We look forward to getting to work and writing the next chapter of our program.”
Wilner, who is from Coral Springs, Florida, was selected as the 2021-22 Mountain West Conference Men’s Golf Coach of the Year. He guided the Wolfpack to four consecutive NCAA Regional appearances, and prior to his promotion to head coach in 2011-12, Wilner spent two seasons with the Wolf Pack as an assistant coach from 2009-11.
“I would like to thank Matt Hogue, President Benson, and the University leadership for their confidence in me to lead the Coastal Carolina men’s golf program. It has always been a dream of mine to coach at my alma mater,” stated Wilner. “My main goal is clear; to guide our program to where the University, community, alumni and student-athletes are all proud.”
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