Season 7
Season Head Coach Mike Griffin (Troy State 70) 21st season at (2439-1401-63) Mike Griffin is as much a part Athletics as Toomers Corner, Jordan-Hare Stadium Beard-Eaves- Memorial Coliseum are to this town athletic program. Griffin enters his 21st year on the Plains as the head men s golf coach, since his tenure began at in 1984, progress has been the constant goal. He has brought success to the sport golf at. Griffin has led the to 14 NCAA Regional appearances in the last 16 years to the NCAA Championships 13 times out 20 years, a percentage not matched by any other coach in school history. coaching career for the 31-year veteran began at his alma mater, Troy State. After graduating as one the greatest golfers in Trojan history, Griffin played on the mini-tour, but returned to Troy State after two years took over the program. As an amateur, Griffin amassed 30 amateur tournament wins as well as claiming the 1968 1969 Alabama Collegiate Conference Championship. He graduated from Troy State in 1970 with a degree in education. In only 11 seasons at Troy State, Griffin accumulated 1,581 wins, seven Gulf South Conference Championships, led the Trojans to the NCAA Division II Championships nine straight years, finishing lower than fourth place only once. He was also honored as the conference s Coach the Year nine times won the National Championship in 1976, 1977 1984. Griffin coached 32 All- Americans while at Troy State. In 1985, Griffin moved to the Plains took the to two tournament victories a berth in the NCAA Championships, where they finished 18th. He was awarded the District III South Coach the Year in his first season, but that was only the beginning for Griffin the. In his second year, he took back to the NCAA Championship finished 22nd. In 1990, Griffin led the team to a first-place finish in the NCAA East Regional. In perhaps one the best performances in golf history, Jimmy Green won individual honors while leading his team to s firstever regional title. Over his 31-year career, Griffin has defeated 4,020 teams, an incredible achievement. Although he strives for success on the golf course, he also encourages his players to perform well in the classroom. During his tenure at, Griffin has had 24 Academic All-SEC choices. Griffin has been named the NCAA Coach the Year for Region III South five times: 1984-85, 93-94, 94-95 96-97. In 1995, he was also named the SEC Coach the Year. That same year he coached Iain Steel, who went on to earn All-America honors was named the SEC Player the Year. Griffin has also coached s only NCAA individual champion, Chip Spratlin in 1996. Griffin was also named SEC Coach the Year in 1997, 2001 2002. In 2000, Griffin was inducted into the NCAA Hall Fame. Griffin led the to a third place finish in the SEC Championship in 2001 a second place finish in 2000. In 1994, Griffin led the to a tie with Tennessee for second time in the SEC Championship. That same year, Gr National's Lake Course in Opelika, was the site the NCAA East Regional. That year the finished ninth on their home course to advance to the NCAA Championship. In 2002, the captured the SEC Championship, the first under Griffin. following year (2003) the won three tournaments (Palencia Invitational, Rehling Invitational the AU Mulit-Match) finished second in the SEC ranked 14th in the country. Despite a winning percentage.384 for the 2004 season, the advanced the NCAA Championship where they tied for 21st. During his 21 years at, Griffin has guided 8
the to their fifth straight NCAA Regional appearance 10th appearance out the last 11 years. also appeared in the NCAA Championships for the 13th time during Griffin s tenure. While at, Griffin has led the to 27 tournament titles. He also played an instrumental role in bringing the 2000 NCAA Men s Golf Championship to Gr National s Lake Course. This was the first ever NCAA Championship in men s golf hosted by the state Alabama. re is no better coach than Mike Griffin to lead Golf in the 21st century. He has turned into one the top golf programs in the country. Head Coach Mike Griffin Season Mike Joyce Griffin MIKE GRIFFIN YEAR-BY-YEAR Year Schools Record Pct. SEC National 1973-74 Troy State 51-97-1.346 5th 1974-75 Troy State 109-43-3.713 1st 7th 1975-76 Troy State 144-24-4.849 1st 1st 1976-77 Troy State 205-24-0.895 2nd 1st 1977-78 Troy State 107-69-3.606 2nd 2nd 1978-79 Troy State 189-90-6.674 2nd 4th 1979-80 Troy State 175-59-0.748 1st 4th 1980-81 Troy State 195-75-3.720 1st 3rd 1981-82 Troy State 135-69-0.662 1st 4th 1982-83 Troy State 133-38-2.775 1st 2nd 1983-84 Troy State 138-54-0.719 1st 1st 1984-85 166-69-1.706 5th 18th NCAA Championship 1985-86 143-55-2.720 4th 22nd NCAA Championship 1986-87 87-90-4.492 6th 1987-88 102-57-7.636 t-3rd 1988-89 115-97-6.541 5th t-29th NCAA Championship 1989-90 136-89-1.604 5th t-25th NCAA Championship 1990-91 107-70-1.604 2nd 13th NCAA East Regional 1991-92 125-52-1.705 2nd 13th NCAAEast Regional 1992-93 155-71-6.681 5th 17th NCAA Championship 1993-94 150-49-2.751 2nd 7th NCAA Championship 1994-95 137-62-7.682 2nd t-16th NCAA Championship 1995-96 107-58-2.647 7th t-13th NCAA East Regional 1996-97 159-50-2.758 2nd t-16th NCAA Championship 1997-98 145-54-4.771 6th 10th NCAA Championship 1998-99 55-92-2.371 6th 1999-00 132-59-1.688 2nd 14th NCAA Championship 2000-01 99-75-7.567 3rd 13th NCAA East Regional 2001-02 134-69-2.659 1st t-28th NCAA Championship 2002-03 110-62-0.640 2nd t-8th NCAA Championship 75-121-3.384 3rd t-21st NCAA Championship TSU Totals 1581-642-22.714 AU Totals 2439-1401-63.633 Career Totals 4020-2043-85.660 9
Season Assistant Coach Ryan Cabbage ( 98) Sixth season at In his sixth season at, Ryan Cabbage is helping turn the golf program into one the premier programs in the country. As a former Tiger golfer, Cabbage brings experience knowledge golf to. A native Rutledge, Tenn., Cabbage played his first two years at Walters State Community College in Morristown, Tenn., where he was the 1995 National Junior College Individual Champion. Cabbage lettered at from 1996-98 competed in the 1997 NCAA Championship at Conway Farms Golf Club in Lake Forest, Ill. One the key things Ryan brings to the table is that he was on this team for three years played for me, head coach Mike Griffin said. Through those years as an golfer, Ryan understs how we approach our players. He thinks a great deal like me in some ways does not, which is good because he broadens our base. Before coming back to the Plains, Cabbage spent a year with the Southeastern Junior Golf Tour in Opelika, Ala., as a tournament director. In 2004, Cabbage was runner-up for the Assistant Coach the Year, which is presented by TaylorMade- Adidas Golf. Cabbage is married to the former Jennifer Falkner Marietta, Ga. y are the proud parents twin boys, Carson Sawyer Maddox Falkner, born Feb. 16, 2004. Ryan Jennifer Cabbage with Carson (left) Maddox (right) 10
Support Season Ry Byars Director Athletic Facilities Stephen Byrd Academic Advisor Barbara Camp Senior Women s Admistrator Buddy Davidson Assistant AD Chuck Gallina Associate Media Relations Director/ Men s Golf Contact Dr. Michael Goodlett Team Physician Jay Jacobs Senior Associate AD Meredith Jenkins Media Relations Bryan Karkoska Head Strength & Conditioning Coach, Olympic Sports Mark Richard Compliance Jeremy Roberts Director Team Event Marketing Mike Roberts Sports Medicine Director Kimberly Shumack Media Relations Student Assistant Virgil Starks Student Support Services; Assistant to the Provost Hub Waldrop Career Counselor/ Drug Education Terry Windle Senior Associate AD/ Chief Financial Officer 11
Season Athlete Support Academics is committed to maintaining the highest stard academic excellence. 's academic curriculum is recognized nationally internationally by leading education publications for its services in preparing students for challenges the future. student-athletes excel because one the top student support service programs in the country. Virgil Starks, Associate Athletic Director for Student- Athlete Support Services (SASS) oversees a staff seven full-time Academic Counselors, a new Learning Specialist two Eligibility Specialists. 's SASS program is key on skill building Life Skills development with an emphasis on helping the transition from high school or junior college to a four-year institution then life after college. Weight Training s men's golfers complete prescribed weight training in a state--the-art weight room in both the Football Complex as well as the Coliseum. Two weight rooms are located in Beard-Eaves-Memo- new state--the-art Student-Athlete Development Center opened in fall 2004. center is housed in two floors on top the Tatum Strength Conditioning Center. 32,434 square-foot facility will include administrative fices, counselor fices, a 50-seat multi-function classroom, an academic excellence recognition area, 40 four-person study rooms, four eight-person study rooms, a 25- station computer laboratory, a study lounge a library resources lounge. rial Coliseum. At a combined size 6,423 square-feet, each can accommodate 75 to 100 people at a time. newly-refurbished weight room for varsity athletes only is furnished with top the line Badger Magnum equipment accompanied with a variety free-weight machines. re is a plethora stair master cardiovascular equipment. men's golf team receives personal attention from Jeff Andrews, assistant strength conditioning coach. Andrews provides a challenging workout program for each Tiger during both in-season f-season conditioning. Athletic Training boasts the most comprehensive sports medicine staff in the nation. From bruises to major surgery, athletes have the nation's most respected physicians athletic trainers on h. Dr. James Andrews Dr. Lawrence Lemak, both orthopedic surgeons for the, are also the team physicians for the LPGA Tour, Major League Baseball's Tampa Bay Devil Rays NFL Europe. A few the numerous pressional athletes Drs. Andrews Lemak have attended to are former Heisman Trophy winner Bo Jackson, Emmitt Smith, Jimmy Key Fred McGriff. Dr. Mike Goodlett is the Athletic Department's team physician is on call 24 hours a day. He provides personal care to each athlete. se highly-respected physicians are with nationallyacclaimed HealthSouth Alabama Sports Medicine. With two athletic training facilities under the direction Sports Medicine Director Mike Roberts, the Athletic Department makes it a priority to care for its athletes. Both facilities combined contain six staff fices Exam/Treatment rooms, allowing the physicians to come directly to the athletes. Each facility features a whirlpool. Student-Athlete Development Center 12