University of Florida's Head Women's Golf Coach Jill Briles-Hinton Announces Resignation
Tuesday, May 12, 2009 | Women's Golf
After 11 season of leading the women's golf team at the University of Florida, Head Coach Jill Briles-Hinton announced her resignation on Monday, effective immediately. A search for the Gators' fourth head women's golf coach will begin immediately.
“I want to thank Jeremy Foley and the administration for this tremendous hands-on learning experience. They took a chance on me and I will be forever grateful for this opportunity to get on-the-job training at the University of Florida,” Briles-Hinton said. “The program is better off than when I started, but I feel it is time to step aside and let someone else take it from here. I enjoyed my time at Florida and now I'm looking forward to spending time with my family. I hope to get back into coaching someday and look forward to again helping young golfers achieve their dreams.”
Briles-Hinton took over the head coaching position at Florida in June of 1998. Florida advanced to the NCAA Championships six of 11 years under Briles-Hinton, earning its best NCAA finish under Briles-Hinton of sixth in 2006 and 2002. Andrea Vander Lende turned in UF's top NCAA individual finish of the last 11 seasons when she was runner-up in 2003.
Briles-Hinton was named the 2008 Southeastern Conference Coach of the Year after leading UF to the league title – the program's eighth overall title and first since 1995. Florida was second in the 2003 SEC Championships, where Aimee Cho became the second freshman in UF history to take medalist honors. Florida claimed the first NCAA Regional title in the program's history in 2008 with its one-stroke victory over top-seeded Duke.
Six Gator golfers have earned a total of eight All-America honors under Briles-Hinton. Eleven players have been named to All-SEC teams a total of 19 times. Briles-Hinton's Lady Gators have been named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll 48 times and have also been named to the National Golf Coaches Association All-American Scholar Golf Team 13 times.
"I accept Jill's decision because I believe she made it in the best interest of this program. The women's golf team has had some shining moments under Jill and the players have traditionally performed well in the classroom. We wish her well in her future ventures," UF Athletics Director Jeremy Foley said. "Our vision is that the women's golf team is consistently among the contenders at the NCAA Championships. That simply hasn't happened and now we begin a search for a coach that shares that vision.”
Briles-Hinton left the LPGA after 12 years on the Tour to take UF's head coaching position in 1998. As a rookie on Tour in 1987, she tied for second place at the Jamie Farr Toledo Classic, and finished as the runner-up at the 1988 Mitsubishi Motors Ocean State Open and the 1994 Children's Medical Center Classic.
A 1986 graduate of the University of Miami (Fla.), Briles-Hinton played two seasons for the Hurricanes, who finished fifth in 1985 and runner-up to Florida in 1986 at the NCAA Championships.
In 2009, Florida finished eighth at the SEC Championships and did not advance to the NCAA Championships after taking 16th in NCAA East Regional competition.
Briles-Hinton Slate
· 2008 Southeastern Conference Coach of the Year
· Coached teams to six NCAA Championship appearances (top finish – T-6th in 2002 & 2006)
· Led UF to 16 tournament titles, including the 2008 SEC and NCAA East Regional team titles
· Six student‑athletes earned eight All‑America status under Briles-Hinton
· Nine individual tournament titles earned in last 11 seasons
· Three former players currently on LPGA
Briles-Hinton's Record at Florida
| Year | Tournament Wins | SEC Finish | Region Finish | NCAA Finish | All-SEC | All-Americans |
| 1998-99 | 11th | --- | --- | |||
| 1999-00 | 2 | t5th | 11th | 18th | 3 | |
| 2000-01 | 1 | 5th | 11th | --- | 1 | |
| 2001-02 | 3 | 6th | 4th | T-6th | 3 | |
| 2002-03 | 1 | 2nd | 7th | 8th | 3 | 2 |
| 2003-04 | 0 | 5th | 9th# | --- | 1 | 1 |
| 2004-05 | 0 | 6th | 7th | 10th | 1 | |
| 2005-06 | 3 | 6th | 4th | T-6th | 1 | 1 |
| 2006-07 | 1 | 2nd | 10th | --- | 1 | 1 |
| 2007-08 | 5 | 1st | 1st | 9th | 4 | 3 |
| 2008-09 | 0 | 8th | 16th | --- | 1 | |
| # - lost playoff for the eighth (and final advancing) position | ||||||
