Photo by: Jeff Golden
Laurie Gibbs Named to WGCA National Coach of the Year Watch List
5/15/2024 1:29:00 PM | Women's Golf
MALIBU, Calif. – After leading the Pepperdine women's golf team to its 14th NCAA Championship appearance in program history, Head Coach Laurie Gibbs has been named to the Jackie Steinmann Women's Golf Coaches Association (WGCA) National Coach of the Year Watch List.
Gibbs led the Waves to the program's league-best 21st West Coast Conference Championship crown this season, along with four total tournament wins. She coached Pepperdine through the NCAA Regionals with a fifth-place finish last week and the team's 1-under was the best 54-hole score at any regional even in program history.
At the WCC Championships, the Waves took home the top three spots, led by medalist Lauren Gomez. Her title was the fifth-consecutive league tournament win by the Waves. In addition to the WCC Championship, the Waves also won the Silicon Valley Showcase this spring, while tabbing victories in the fall at the Dick McGuire Invitational and Goflweek Red Sky Classic.
This season, Gibbs garnered the league's Coach of the Year honor for the 16th time in her career, while coaching a league-best four Waves to spots on the All-WCC first team and sophomore Jeneath Wong to a WCC Player of the Year honor. Pepperdine has impressed with a 288.9 scoring average so far this season, which ranks second in the program record books so far, close behind last season's record-breaking 288.2.
Last season, Gibbs earned Golfweek National Coach of the Year for the second time in her career (2005, 2023) and WGCA West Region Coach of the Year acclaim for the third time (1999, 2003, 2023). No Pepperdine coach in program history has ever garnered the WGCA National Coach of the Year honor yet, though Katherine Hull had earned WGCA National Player of the Year acclaim in 2003.
Pepperdine will compete in the NCAA Championships at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, California from May 17-22.
WGCA National Coach of the Year Watch List
Greg Allen, Vanderbilt
Kalen Anderson, University of South Carolina
Amy Bond, Florida State
Dan Brooks, Duke
Gerrod Chadwell, Texas A&M
Dana Dormann, San Jose State
Charlie Ewing, Mississippi State
Missy Farr-Kaye, Arizona State
Emily Fletcher, Northwestern
Laurie Gibbs, Pepperdine
Kory Henkes, Mississippi
Kelley Hester, Clemson
Kim Lewellen, Wake Forest
Melissa Luellen, Auburn
Lauren Mason, Southern Methodist
Ryan Murphy, Texas
Aimee Neff, North Carolina
Derek Radley, Oregon
Garrett Runion, LSU
Ria Scott, Virginia
Justin Silverstein, Southern California
Shauna Taylor, Arkansas
Alicia Um Holmes, UCLA
Anne Walker, Stanford
For the most up-to-date information, follow the Waves on Twitter, @WavesGolf, or Instagram, @pepperdinewomensgolf.
Gibbs led the Waves to the program's league-best 21st West Coast Conference Championship crown this season, along with four total tournament wins. She coached Pepperdine through the NCAA Regionals with a fifth-place finish last week and the team's 1-under was the best 54-hole score at any regional even in program history.
At the WCC Championships, the Waves took home the top three spots, led by medalist Lauren Gomez. Her title was the fifth-consecutive league tournament win by the Waves. In addition to the WCC Championship, the Waves also won the Silicon Valley Showcase this spring, while tabbing victories in the fall at the Dick McGuire Invitational and Goflweek Red Sky Classic.
This season, Gibbs garnered the league's Coach of the Year honor for the 16th time in her career, while coaching a league-best four Waves to spots on the All-WCC first team and sophomore Jeneath Wong to a WCC Player of the Year honor. Pepperdine has impressed with a 288.9 scoring average so far this season, which ranks second in the program record books so far, close behind last season's record-breaking 288.2.
Last season, Gibbs earned Golfweek National Coach of the Year for the second time in her career (2005, 2023) and WGCA West Region Coach of the Year acclaim for the third time (1999, 2003, 2023). No Pepperdine coach in program history has ever garnered the WGCA National Coach of the Year honor yet, though Katherine Hull had earned WGCA National Player of the Year acclaim in 2003.
Pepperdine will compete in the NCAA Championships at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, California from May 17-22.
WGCA National Coach of the Year Watch List
Greg Allen, Vanderbilt
Kalen Anderson, University of South Carolina
Amy Bond, Florida State
Dan Brooks, Duke
Gerrod Chadwell, Texas A&M
Dana Dormann, San Jose State
Charlie Ewing, Mississippi State
Missy Farr-Kaye, Arizona State
Emily Fletcher, Northwestern
Laurie Gibbs, Pepperdine
Kory Henkes, Mississippi
Kelley Hester, Clemson
Kim Lewellen, Wake Forest
Melissa Luellen, Auburn
Lauren Mason, Southern Methodist
Ryan Murphy, Texas
Aimee Neff, North Carolina
Derek Radley, Oregon
Garrett Runion, LSU
Ria Scott, Virginia
Justin Silverstein, Southern California
Shauna Taylor, Arkansas
Alicia Um Holmes, UCLA
Anne Walker, Stanford
For the most up-to-date information, follow the Waves on Twitter, @WavesGolf, or Instagram, @pepperdinewomensgolf.
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
