Mike Phillips, a nine-time conference "Coach of the Year," has been the only varsity golf coach in school history. He has guided the program from infancy in the 1983-84 school year to national status, including an NCAA individual national champion in 1991 and 14 appearances in the NCAA team championship including a streak of seven consecutive berths to nationals.
The most recent appearance came in 2009 when the Eagles recorded
a 16th-place The came on the heels of a 15th-place showing in 2008
when Emory co-hosted the nationals at Chateau Elan in nearby
Braselton. . In 2006 Emory turned in an impressive ninth-place
performance.
The team finished in the top 10 at the national championships four
consecutive years (1997-2000). The Eagles were fifth at the NCAA
championships in 1997, 10th in 1998, sixth in 1999, 10th in 2000,
15th in 2003, and fifth in 2004.
In its 2007-08 edition, Golf Digest ranked emory 29th in
the nation among all NCAA schools and was the second-ranked
Division III program in the "Balanced" ranking, which measures
students who place equal emphasis on academics and sports.
Categories that were taken into account in the "Balanced" ranking
included team adjusted scoring average, player growth, academics,
climate and facilities and coaching. Over 790 schools were
analyzed in this category with the top 400 earning a ranking.
According to Golf Digest, the "Balanced" ranking is the
best indicator for the majority of young men heading off to
college
Emory was ranked 23rd out of the 146 schools (all divisions)
surveyed in the "Academics First" ranking which applies to students
who are focused on education but still desire to play competitive
golf. Emory was the No. 3-ranked Division III program.
In its 2005-06 edition, Golf Digest named Emory the best
collegiate golf program in the country - all NCAA schools included
- for academics. The magazine's rankings were calculated with
academics counting for 70 percent, golf performance 20 percent and
coach/facilities and climate factoring five percent each.
In 2008, Emory brought home the University Athletic Association
(UAA) championship for the 12th time in 16 years, posting a
decisive 24-stroke win over runner-up Carnegie Mellon. The Eagles'
opening round of 286 at the UAA's was the squad's low score of the
2007-08 season and represented the lowest score in school history
at the UAA Championship.
The Eagles won a conference-record six consecutive UAA
championships from 1995-2000. Emory claimed the top five places in
the individual standings at the 1998 UAA tournament, a first in
conference history. Phillips has been voted UAA "Coach of the Year"
in 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997,1999, 2002, 2003, 2007 and 2008.
Phillips came to Emory in 1975 as its first full-time intramurals director. He became the golf coach in 1983. Other duties at Emory have included facilities coordinator and assistant men's basketball coach.
He served as the NCAA Division III national representative to the Golf Coaches Association of America national advisory board. Phillips was a district representative on the GCAA national poll advisory committee. He was the chair of the GCAA All-America Scholar selection committee and served on the selection committee for the GCAA all-district teams. Phillips is a member of the United States Golf Association and the National Golf Foundation.
Phillips holds an undergraduate and master's degree from
Colorado State University. Prior to Emory, he coached basketball
for eight years in Colorado and Kansas and golf for two years in
Kansas.
John Sjoberg was named assistant coach of the Emory golf team in
July 2008.
Sjoberg came to the Emory program after serving as the assistant
professional at the Duke University Golf Club in Durham, NC, since
2005. Among his responsibilities were serving as the primary
liaison between the course and the university's men's and women's
golf programs, administration of tournament events and
instruction.
Sjoberg attended Methodist University and was a member of the golf
team from 2002 through 2004. He was part of a program that
earned three trips to the NCAA Tournament while claiming a pair of
USA South Athletic Conference crowns.
"I am pleased that John will be joining the Emory golf program as
assistant coach," Phillips said. "His background and skills
will be very helpful in preparing our team to compete at the
highest level. The experience that he brings is impressive,
having earned his PGA card after graduating from Methodist
University and working at the Duke University Golf Club for three
years."
Sjoberg earned his Bachelor of Science degree in business
administration from Methodist in 2005. He will also teach golf
classes in Emory's Department of Physical Education.
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