BOB DIBBLE
Head Golf Coach
email Coach Dibble

Tusculum College head coach Bob Dibble has directed the Pioneer golf fortunes for 17 seasons. Dibble, a native of Peoria, Ill. has built a tradition of success since arriving at the Greeneville, Tenn. campus in 1989.

He has coached the men's team for 17 years and started the women's program in the 1997-98 season. Dibble has a reputation of building winners. His Pioneer teams have captured seven conference titles and two region championships during his tenure. He guided the TC men's squad to five consecutive National Tournament appearances from 1993-1997. In the women's inaugural campaign, the Pioneers placed 13th at the NAIA National Tournament.

Last year, he guided both the men and women's squads to runner-up performances at the South Atlantic Conference Championships. On the men's side, Chase Carroll won the men's individual title while Shannon Palenkas captured the women's title. Palenkas was also named the SAC Women's Golf Player of the Year. Carroll was also recognized for his success in the classroom, as he was named the SAC Scholar Athlete of the Year. Carroll and teammate Chris Wynne were invited to play in the NCAA Division Men's Golf Southeast/Atlantic Super Regional. Wynne and Carroll were both named to the All-SAC Team. Palenkas and teammate Amanda Bowen also earned All-Conference recognition.

In 2006, Dibble was named the SAC Men's Golf Coach of the Year as two of his golfers - Nick Kinzer and Chris Wynne - received bids to participate in the NCAA II Regional. Kinzer tied for 14th, while Wynne tied for 31st. On the women's side, Palenkas earned SAC All-Tournament honors with a fourth-place finish at the conference championship. Palenkas and Bowen were named All-South Atlantic Conference, while Kinzer earned the same honor for the men.

The 2005 edition of the TC men's golf squad mounted a final round charge and earned runner-up honors at the 2005 Food Lion SAC Championship.

In the 1999-2000 season, the TC women's squad shot a then school record 661 to claim the inaugural South Atlantic Conference women's golf championship. The Pioneers placed five golfers in the Top 10, including Morgan Campbell, who finished third and earned a spot on the SAC All-Tournament team. During the regular season, TC boasted a 28-9 head-to-head record while capturing two tournaments and finished no worse than third all season. Three Pioneers were named to the first-ever women's golf All-SAC team. Dibble himself was recognized by his peers as the first recipient of the South Atlantic Conference Women's Golf Coach of the Year Award.

He has mentored three All-Americans, 36 All-Conference players, three conference players of the year and two SAC Freshman of the Year.

Over the past five years, he has coached six players who qualified for NCAA Division II region play, including three-time All-Conference standout Rachel McFarland who advanced to the 2003 NCAA II National Championship where she finished 16th individually. Also in 2003, he mentored All-SAC First Team standouts Brent Dyson and Sasha Catron, who advanced to the NCAA Regional Tournament. For his efforts, Dibble was named the SAC Men's Golf Coach of the Year in 2003. Catron would again return to the Super Regional in 2004.

Dibble's players have also excelled in the classroom. Eight players have garnered All-America Scholar Athlete recognition, while three of his squads have captured the SAC Team Academic Award. He has guided three SAC Scholar Athletes of the Year.

Dibble served as head professional at Link Hills Country Club in Greeneville, Tenn. from 1978 to 2000. He turned pro in 1957 and became a Professional Golf Association member in 1964. Dibble also squeezed in a stint serving in the United States Marine Corps.

Dibble served as Midwest PGA President from 1971-73 while living in Missouri and was a club pro in Florida as well. A veteran of the PGA Winter Tour, Dibble has qualified for the PGA National Club Pro Championship on three occasions. Junior golf has been Dibble's passion for over 20 years. He has built one of the state's strongest youth programs at Link Hills. Dibble has been honored on four occasions with the Tennessee PGA Junior Golf Leader of the Year Award. In 1982, he won the Tennessee PGA Horton Smith Award for his contributions to the game of golf.

Dibble played his collegiate golf at Central Missouri State in Warrensburg, Mo. He also attended the University of Missouri at Kansas City where he lettered on the basketball hardwood for the Kangaroos.

In 1998, Dibble was elected to serve as President of the NAIA Golf Coaches Association by his peers. He has served as a rules official at the NCAA II Women’s National Championship twice and is currently serving on NCAA II Women’s South Region selection committee. Dibble has been married to his wife Cindy for almost 50 years and has three grown children: Sandy, Tim and Chris. His son, Chris, is the head golf professional at Holston Hills Country Club in Knoxville. The Dibbles are also the proud grandparents of eight grandchildren.