BATON ROUGE, La. — Greg Jones, who led the University of South Alabama to five Sun Belt Conference titles in the last six years, has been named the new head men’s golf coach at LSU, it was announced on Thursday by Assistant Athletic Director for Olympic Sports Debbie Corum.
Jones replaces Britt Harrison, who resigned the position at the conclusion of the 1998-99 season. “I’m looking forward to the challenge of bringing LSU back to the top of the SEC where it belongs,” said Jones Thursday. “This program has everything needed to be successful.”
The 34-year-old Jones comes to LSU after serving as the Director of Golf at USA, serving as the men’s head coach for six seasons as well as coaching the women’s team for two seasons.
“Greg is a proven recruiter who has had success at the Division I level,” said LSU’s Corum. “He has the ability to motivate his players and we believe he can lift this program to compete on a national level.”
In six years as men’s coach, his USA record is 777-276-12 (.737) with 15 tournament wins and 44 top five finishes. Jones’ team was invited to the 1994, 1995 and 1999 NCAA East Regional post-season tournaments.
Jones was named the Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year in 1995, 1996, 1998 and 1999. This year’s Jaguar squad had the third most wins in the nation with 147 wins in tournament competition (147-29-4) and was ranked 23rd in the nation in the MasterCard collegiate poll.
In 1997 his program was recognized by Karsten Manufacturing and GolfWeek Magazine as one of the “improving Division I golf programs.”
Jones’ teams have produced 19 All-Sun Belt performers, four all-district players and three-time All-American Heath Slocum.
Jones already knows longtime LSU women’s golf coach, Karen Bahnsen. “We both are from Mobile and grew up at the same club (Skyline Country Club),” said Jones. “I think the two programs will work very well together and that is important.”
Prior to becoming head golf coach at South Alabama, Jones played professionally for five years on the Hooter’s Tour as well as the Emerald Coast Tour, the Florida Space Coast Tour, the Hogan (now Nike) Tour and the T. C. Jordan Tour. He also served as an assistant pro at the Gulf Shores Golf Club for two seasons and the Interim Head Pro at the Cotton Creek Golf Club in Gulf Shores for one year.
Jones is a past member of the NCAA Regional Golf Advisory Committee and has served as a guest instructor at the University of Florida Gator Golf Camp.
Jones will have the facilities of the school’s new University Club to prepare his team for a full schedule of tournaments. “When one looks at the University Club, you quickly realize that there are not many teams that will have facilities better than that to prepare on,” said Jones.
As a player, Jones played two years (1986-87) at USA after one season each at the University of Kentucky and Brevard (Fla.) Community College. In two seasons as a Jaguar, Jones posted eight tournament victories, three U.S. Amateur appearances and one NCAA Tournament appearance. He was named All-American following the 1986 season.
Leading the returnees for the 1999-2000 LSU team will be senior Jeremy Wilkinson of South Bend, Ind., who had the low stroke average a season ago of 73.2 strokes per round.
“When I first started looking at the job, I had heard Jeremy was a senior. So I am very excited that he will be back,” said Jones. “I will lean on him for some senior leadership for this team as we get things headed back in the right direction.”