MALIBU, Calif. — Pepperdine women's golf head coach Laurie Gibbs has reached a historic milestone, surpassing 3,000 career wins while leading one of the nation's most successful collegiate golf programs.
Now in her 33rd season guiding the Waves, Gibbs became the program's first full-time head coach in 1993, taking over a team that previously operated with a part-time coach as the sport had originally given Pepperdine enough to qualify as a Division I school. Over the past three decades, she has helped transform Pepperdine women's golf into a nationally prominent program competing regularly among the country's elite.
"It took about five years to build our program, raising the necessary support, adding scholarships and earning invitations to compete in the top tournaments," said Gibbs. "The success of our Women's Golf program has been made possible by the incredible support of the university and so many generous donors. Together, we've created an environment where our student-athletes can succeed both on the golf course and in the classroom. We have been fortunate to have so many outstanding young women represent our program and reaching 3,000 wins is a reflection of the dedication of our players, coaches and everyone who has supported this program."
Gibbs' achievement reflects the remarkable consistency of the program during her tenure. Pepperdine owns a 65% career winning percentage (3,043-1,592-44) under her leadership while capturing 66 tournament victories to go along with 45 runner-up finishes.
The path to national prominence began with opportunity. Early in the program's development, UCLA's Hall of Fame Coach Jackie Steinmann was the first coach of a top ranked team to invite the Waves to their tournament, the UCLA Pioneer Electronics Invitational. In Pepperdine's first four appearances, the Waves finished 16th of 16, 18th of 18, 16th of 18 and 17th of 18, but the program steadily improved and established itself as one the nation's top teams, regularly competing against and defeating the top-ranked programs in the country.
Pepperdine's success has consistently translated into the postseason over the decades. The Waves finished national runner-up at the NCAA Championships in 2003 and have made 14 NCAA Championship appearances, producing five top-five finishes and nine top-10s. In NCAA postseason play, Pepperdine owns a 64% record in NCAA Regionals (312-173-1) and a 60% mark at the NCAA Championships (196-131-2).
Overall, the Waves have earned a spot into the NCAA Regionals in 26 consecutive seasons.
Among active Division I coaches, Gibbs sits fourth in career tournament victories with 66, trailing only Dan Brooks of Duke University, Mic Potter of Alabama and John Crooks of Campbell.
In addition, Pepperdine has seen 33 All-American selections under Gibbs since 2000.
Academically, the Waves have received 31 WGCA All-American Scholar recognitions under Gibbs, while seeing a 100% graduation success rate.
The 3,000 win milestone comes during another strong stretch for the Waves this spring, who have posted two straight tournament victories and a runner-up finish in the event prior.
Pepperdine will contest the Betsy Rawls Longhorn Invitational next week, its final competition ahead of the WCC Championships in late April. The players will have the ability to focus on classes, finals and graduating before preparing for the NCAA Regionals in May.
ABOUT PEPPERDINE WOMEN'S GOLF
Pepperdine women's golf has consistently been one of the top collegiate programs in the country under head coach Laurie Gibbs, exemplified by the current streak of 26 straight seasons with an NCAA Regional appearance. Having advanced to the NCAA Championships on 14 of those occasions, the Waves also boast 21 WCC Championships since 1998. Since the year 2000, 15 athletes have garnered All-American honors with a total of 31 selections.
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ABOUT SVN2 INDOOR GOLF
The Pepperdine women's golf 2025-26 season is sponsored by SVN2 Golf. SVN2 Golf is a Southern California based premium indoor golf simulation experience that uses advanced TrackMan technology to provide realistic gameplay, instant swing feedback, and practice tools for golfers of all levels. The facility offers a high-tech, immersive experience with a wide variety of legendary and exclusive courses, a relaxed, self-service environment, and opportunities for leagues and events. Facilities in Newbury Park and Malibu were joined in 2025 by new venues in Woodland Hills and Santa Clarita. For more information, visit www.svn2golf.com.
