California University of Pennsylvania

MerriLyn Gibbs has led the Vulcans to unprecedented success with four-consecutive team appearances in the NCAA National Championships. Gibbs has also guided Cal U to four PSAC Championships in the last five years.

Gibbs led the Vulcans to four invitational titles last year, highlighted by a 23-stroke win at the league championships. Following the spring, she was selected PSAC Coach of the Year after mentoring four players on the All-PSAC West First Team, including both the Athlete and Freshman of the Year.

In 2012, Cal U recorded its highest-ever showing at the NCAA National Championships by finishing sixth in the team standings. Senior Dianne Luke repeated as a NGCA All-American and PSAC Athlete of the Year and was one of three Vulcans to earn All-PSAC First-Team honors. Cal U also excelled in the classroom, as it was honored for boasting the highest team GPA at the 2012 NCAA National Championships.

In the fall of 2010, the Vulcans captured a third-straight league title and the following spring finished seventh at the NCAA National Championships. Gibbs was selected the PSAC Coach of the Year after boasting five All-PSAC selections.

Cal U made its first-ever team appearance at the 2010 NCAA National Championships. That same season, the Vulcans won the PSAC Championships by a dominating 48 strokes and finished third at the NCAA Regional Championship.

While with the Vulcans, Gibbs has mentored Simone DeSouza and Luke, who are the most accomplished golfers in school history. DeSouza was a three-time All-American and became the first golfer in program history to earn medalist honors at the league championships.

Originally, Gibbs served as the head coach of the Cal U men’s and women’s golf programs in 2005. The women’s program was a new sport, while the men’s team was reinstated after being eliminated decades earlier.

Gibbs previously served as the men’s and women’s golf coach at Dakota Wesleyan in Mitchell, S.D. While at Dakota Wesleyan, Gibbs guided the men’s and women’s teams to top-five finishes in six of seven tournaments in the 2004-05 season, including one tournament title for each team.

Gibbs, who graduated from BYU in 2001 with a bachelor’s degree in American studies, has worked at three golf clubs in Idaho and Utah. She was the assistant pro and director of all teaching programs at Purple Sage Golf Course in Caldwell, Idaho. She was also the Idaho tournament director of the U.S. Kids National Championship.

She began her collegiate career at Boise State, where she was the medalist at two tournaments her freshman season. She was named the 1996 Rookie of the Year and Player of the Year while at Boise State. She then transferred to BYU and was a three-year member of the program.

Gibbs, who completed her master’s degree in sport management from Cal U, is a Class A PGA Professional. She was the Idaho Amateur Player of the Year and two-time Idaho State Match Play Champion. She also twice won the Idaho Tournament of Champions title and was the bronze medalist in the Idaho State Stroke Play Tournament.