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The initial coach in program history, MerriLyn Gibbs served as head coach of the California women’s golf team from 2005-16. She guided the Vulcans to five PSAC Championships in a span of seven years and helped the program appear at the NCAA National Championships in eight-consecutive seasons. Gibbs was selected the PSAC Coach of the Year four times, as Cal boasted the medalist four times at the league championships from 2008-12.
Gibbs was originally appointed as head coach for both the men’s and women’s golf programs in 2005. The Vulcans were sponsoring women’s golf for the first time in school history while the men’s program was reinstated after two-plus decades. In only the third year of the women’s program, Cal placed second at the 2007 PSAC Championships which featured a combined leader board for men’s and women’s teams. The league expanded in 2008 and created a separate championship for women’s golf. The Vulcans captured their first-ever league title by 35 strokes that fall behind four of the top-five golfers on the individual leader board. Cal made history that spring with Simone De Souza and Dianne Luke qualifying as individuals for the NCAA National Championships in Ohio, marking the first time the program qualified multiple golfers for the national event. A multi-time All-American, De Souza placed fourth overall at the 2009 NCAA National Championships and closed her senior year with a scoring average of 76.3 strokes. The Vulcans repeated as PSAC Champions in 2009 and earned their first-ever team qualifier for the NCAA National Championships that spring. Under Gibbs, Cal completed a three-peat at the league championships the following year before placing second while hosting the 2011 NCAA Regional Championships at Cedarbrook Golf Course. The Vulcans registered their best-ever team finish at the NCAA National Championships in 2012 while in Louisville with Luke carding a consecutive top-15 finish at the event. She finished her career as a two-time WGCA All-American and posted a career scoring average of 78.0 strokes. Gibbs helped guide Cal to a pair of PSAC Championships over the next three years and a team appearance at the NCAA National Championships in 2013. Cal featured over 30 All-PSAC selections under Gibbs after the league created separate championships. Additionally, the Vulcans boasted the PSAC Athlete of the Year seven times during the span and featured four PSAC Freshman of the Year recipients. Carla Maestre made league history in 2014 by becoming the first women’s golfer to receive both PSAC Golfer of the Year and PSAC Freshman of the Year in the same season. She finished her career with a scoring average of 77.7 strokes while being chosen the PSAC Golfer of the Year in three-consecutive seasons.
A native of Idaho, Gibbs coached all three women’s golfers inducted in the Athletic Hall of Fame.
updated April 5, 2025
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