Jimmy Stobs enters his sixth season at the helm of the Buccaneer men’s golf program. Emphasizing discipline and course management, he has taken the men’s golf program to the next level, compiling a 522-284-14 career record in his five seasons at Barry.
Under Stobs’ direction, the men have achieved national prominence in just five short years, taking the team to the NCAA Regional tournament on three different occassions and the NCAA National tournament twice.
Last season, Stobs was named GCAA 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, five second-place finishes and one tournament win at the national championship.
Hernan Borja, who led the Buccaneers all season, became the first player in school history to earn First-Team GCAA All-America honors, while fellow seniors Nick Gillaspy and Juan Weissenberg earned GCAA Honorable Mention All-America. Borja also earned All-SSC and SSC All-Tournament honors, while Gillaspy was selected to the All-SSC team and Weissenberg to the SSC All-Tournament team. Weissenberg was also the first men’s golfer to earn both All-America and All-America Scholar honors in the same season.
In 2006, the Buccaneers finished the season with a 135-99-3 tournament record and reached the NCAA South/South Central Super Regional tournament for the third consecutive year.
Stobs’ team also finished fifth at the Sunshine State Conference tournament. Hernan Borja came in fourth at the tournament to receive SSC All-Tournament honors. Victor Billskoog, the Bucs’ top newcomer, led the team with a 74.32 stroke average per round and was dubbed SSC Freshman of the Year.
In 2004-05, Stobs guided the young Buccaneer team to a 94-53-4 record in tournament play. The Bucs made their second consecutive appearance in the NCAA Super Regional, finishing fourth out of eight teams. In addition, the team led all Division II schools in the “total short game” statistical category as ranked by Golfstat.
The Buccaneers narrowly missed out on a second appearance at the NCAA National tournament, but the season did not end without its success. Adam Enright earned GCAA Scholar All-America honors to become the first in program history to receive the honor.
During the 2003-04 season, Stobs brought the program to the forefront by guiding the Bucs to a second-place finish at the Sunshine State Conference tournament, the best finish in program history. John Quigley finished fourth at the tournament and was selected to the SSC All-Tournament team. Both Quigley and Ryan Lamond earned their first All-SSC honors.
The Bucs went on to receive their second bid to participate in the NCAA Regional Tournament, where they finished second. Their efforts at the Super Regional in Springfield, Mo., earned them a spot at the national tournament for the first time in school history, where the Bucs finished third in the nation just 10 strokes behind national champion USC-Aiken. Lamond finished tied for 10th and became the first men’s golfer in Barry history to earn GCAA All-America honors. Stobs guided the Bucs to a 130-38 overall record in 2003-04. Stobs was named South Region Coach of the Year by the GCAA.
Stobs also kept his team actively involved in the local community. He and his team participated in Barry’s first home building with Habitat for Humanity as well as reading for the local elementary schools and more. For their efforts, Stobs and the men’s golf team earned the Sister Jeanne O’Laughlin Community Service Award.
In 2002-03, he guided the Barry team to a 42-59-2 overall record and a fourth-place finish at the Sunshine State Conference Tournament. Under Stobs’ direction, Quigley made a mark in Barry history, becoming the first Buccaneer men’s player to earn an individual bid to the NCAA Division II South Region Tournament.
Stobs joined the Barry staff in 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 much success winning 25 mini-tour events.
His last triumph came after winning a Montgomery Tour event in 2001. In 1998, he won the Florida Open in front of Brian Gay and Tim Petrovic who are both currently playing the PGA tour.
From 1994-95, he led the South Florida tour money list in earnings for the year. His first significant tournament victory came at the 1992 Valdosta Open.
A graduate of Florida Atlantic University 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 straight tournaments and finished fourth in the NCAA Division II national tournament, earning the team’s sportsmanship award. He also played for Georgia Southern University from 1987-90. He has had instruction from Jimmy Ballard, Mark Wood, Artie McNickle, Butch Baird and Chuck Hart. He has also worked with well known sports psychologist, Dr. Rick Jensen.
Stobs, a native of Miami, Fla., makes his second foray into coaching after leading the Miami Country Day School team in 1994. He is married to the former Carrie Santis of Miami. His parents are Robert and Martha Stobs of Miami.
