| Grant Robbins |
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Now in his sixth season as head coach of the University of Memphis men's golf team, Grant Robbins continues to build Tiger golf into a nationally-ranked program. Prior to being named head coach of the Tigers, Robbins proved his expertise at the University of North Carolina-Wilmington, where he built the Seahawk golf program into a national powerhouse.
Robbins, a 1994 graduate of Memphis where he was a three-time all-conference selection, returned to his alma mater as head coach in June of 2003. Robbins replaced his former coach Jim Cook, who unexpectedly passed away in November of 2002.
Robbins, the 2008 Conference USA Coach of the Year, has guided the Tigers to seven tournament titles and 23 top-five finishes and has had eight different players win a total of twelve tournaments in his five years at the helm. Robbins also led the Tigers to their first postseason birth in more than twenty years when they qualified for the NCAA East Regional last year.
Last season, Robbins was named the Conference USA Coach of the Year after leading the Tigers to seven top-five finishes, including one victory at the Charleston Southern University Spring Kick Off. The Tigers who finished in the top 10 in all but two events played their best golf toward the end of the season posting wins over nationally ranked Florida State, Clemson, Wake Forest and Texas Tech and earned a bid to the NCAA East Regional. It was the first postseason appearance by Memphis in more than 20 years. Former Tiger Ian Rochester was named All-Conference USA after turning in four top-five finishes and including medalist honors at the CSU Spring Kick-Off. Robbie Greenwell was also named to All- Conference USA after a strong season that included a win at the Linger Longer Invitational. Robbins led the University of Memphis to a third-place finish in the Conference USA Tournament.
During the 2006-07 Season, Robbins directed the Tigers to seven top-10 finishes, and three top-five showings. Kyle Peterman earned medalist honors in the Mason Rudolph Invitational. Ian Rochester finished sixth at the Conference USA tournament to help the Tigers to a seventh place finish. Rochester also closed out the season on a strong note by finishing second at the Linger Longer Invitational.
In 2005-06, Robbins and the Tigers turned in five top-five finishes, including three top-three finishes and a title at the 2005 Memphis Intercollegiate. Memphis cracked the top 10 in 12 events, and former Tiger Keven Fortin-Simard earned medalist honors three times and was named the Conference USA Player of the Year. Robbins also led the U of M to fourth place at the Conference USA Tournament, where Brad Benjamin finished third to help Memphis to the school's best conference finish since 1999.
During the 2004-05 campaign, Robbins led the Tigers to three tournament victories, which is the most first-place finishes in a single year in school history. Under Robbins, four Memphis golfers earned medalist honors, the team finished in the top two in five of the 10 events and Fortin-Simard was named All-Conference USA.
In the 2003-04 season, Robbins led Memphis to four top five finishes in its 10 tournaments, including a first-place finish (out of 15 teams) at the Matlock Collegiate Classic in Lakeland, Fla. He also led Memphis to third, fourth and fifth place finishes in three separate tournaments, and the Tigers won a dual match against Mississippi State on the Bulldogs' home course. Memphis individuals had seven top five finishes in 11 tournaments, and both David Jeans and Alan Weant were named All-Conference USA.
Robbins spent four seasons at the helm of the UNC-Wilmington program before coming to Memphis. His teams won 11 tournament titles in his time on the Atlantic coast, including four events during the 2002-03 season, his final campaign with the Seahawks. The Seahawks placed in the top three in 28 events under Robbins as he led UNCW to its first-ever NCAA Tournament bid in 2003. Robbins was named the 2001 Colonial Athletic Association Coach of the Year in just his second year at UNCW. During his time at Wilmington, he coached one CAA Player of the Year, two CAA Rookies of the Year and 13 All-CAA players. Seven different golfers were individual medalists in 10 tournaments during Robbins' four-year tenure.
Before taking the post at UNCW, Robbins coached for two years as an assistant at Penn State University. While there, he helped the Nittany Lions advance to a pair of NCAA East Regionals in 1998 and 1999. Robbins assisted in all facets of the Penn State program and served as the recruiting coordinator. He was also the tournament director of the Rutherford Intercollegiate and was an instructor for the Penn State Golf Camps.
Robbins gained valuable experience playing on three different professional golf tours following his graduation from Memphis. Robbins put in time on the North Florida PGA Winter Tour (1994-95), the Tommy Armour Professional Golf Tour (1994-95) and the Tour America Mid-South Professional Golf Tour (1995). A Memphis native, Robbins was a four-year letterman on the Tiger golf team from 1990-94, and also served as a team captain his junior and senior seasons. He was an All-Great Midwest Conference team selection three times and was also a recipient of the Jake Fondren Golf Scholarship. During his senior season at the 1994 Vanderbilt/Music City Intercollegiate, Robbins tied for what was then the second-lowest single round in school history when he shot a 6-under-par 66, two strokes shy of the school record.
Robbins earned his bachelor's degree in Marketing in 1994 from the University of Memphis and returned to the U of M after his playing career where he earned his master's degree in Sports Management in 1997. Robbins entered the Professional Golfers Association (PGA) in August of 2007 and is currently working toward Class A membership. Robbins passed the PGA's Playing Ability Test at Temple Hills Golf Club in Nashville, carding the lowest score by 10 shots with rounds of 68-72. He is currently an instructor at the Jerry Haas Golf Camp at Wake Forest University, and has also served as an instructor at the Duke University Golf School, the Pine Needles Youth Golfari in Southern Pines, North Carolina, the Penn State Nittany Lion Golf Camp and the Fighting Scot Golf Camp in Wooster, Ohio.
