Southern Illinoise University Athletics
O’Brien bids farewell after seven seasons
04/27/2018 | 9:52:00 | Women's Golf
After seven seasons as head coach of the Women's Golf team, Alexis O'Brien will be resigning as April 27. O'Brien will be moving to Oregon to join her husband who has been living there since September 2017.
"I got married in June 2017 and my husband took a job at Intel in Hillsboro, Oregon shortly after," O'Brien said. "I wanted to finish out the year and move there once the season ended."
O'Brien will be the Director of Player Development at Royal Oaks Country Club in Vancouver, Washington. She will be a Class A LPGA Teaching Professional overseeing the junior and ladies golf academies.
In her seven years as head coach, the program has compiled 20 team tournament titles, 15 individual tournament titles, plus seven runner-up team finishes and 11 individual runner-ups.
The Salukis finished in the top-five at the MVC tournament six of the seven seasons and placed in the top-three for four of them, including the 2018 MVC Championship.
O'Brien said some of her favorite moments are from the championships include; Alisha Matthews championship record single-round score of 67 in the final round of the 2012 MVC Championship, Kris Grimes eagle on 18 at the 2015 MVC Championship, the team's second-round score of 291 and freshman Moyea Russell winning SIU's first ever MVC Newcomer of the Year award at the 2018 MVC Championships.
But her biggest accomplishment happened off the green.
"I am most proud of my degree and being an alumnus of the school," O'Brien said.
O'Brien graduated with a masters' degree in Sports Studies with a 4.0 GPA from SIU in May 2015 while coaching full time.
During that time, the Salukis won their third Saluki Invitational in a row, Brooke Cusumano earned All-Conference honors and was named to the MVC All Scholar-Athlete first team and was awarded the prestigious MVC Elite 18 Academic Award for superlative achievement in academics and athletics. SIU had six MVC Golfers of the Week and four players earned National Golf Coaches Association All-American Scholar honors.
"I want to say thank you for all the support," O'Brien said. "Thank you to all the volunteers and donors throughout the year and the ones participate in the Saluki Invitational. I've had such and amazing players and parents the last few years that it makes my job easier. The players are a joy to coach and I will miss them."
O'Brien came to SIU in 2011, after serving for four seasons as the Head Coach for the women's golf team at Chicago State University.
"I got married in June 2017 and my husband took a job at Intel in Hillsboro, Oregon shortly after," O'Brien said. "I wanted to finish out the year and move there once the season ended."
O'Brien will be the Director of Player Development at Royal Oaks Country Club in Vancouver, Washington. She will be a Class A LPGA Teaching Professional overseeing the junior and ladies golf academies.
In her seven years as head coach, the program has compiled 20 team tournament titles, 15 individual tournament titles, plus seven runner-up team finishes and 11 individual runner-ups.
The Salukis finished in the top-five at the MVC tournament six of the seven seasons and placed in the top-three for four of them, including the 2018 MVC Championship.
O'Brien said some of her favorite moments are from the championships include; Alisha Matthews championship record single-round score of 67 in the final round of the 2012 MVC Championship, Kris Grimes eagle on 18 at the 2015 MVC Championship, the team's second-round score of 291 and freshman Moyea Russell winning SIU's first ever MVC Newcomer of the Year award at the 2018 MVC Championships.
But her biggest accomplishment happened off the green.
"I am most proud of my degree and being an alumnus of the school," O'Brien said.
O'Brien graduated with a masters' degree in Sports Studies with a 4.0 GPA from SIU in May 2015 while coaching full time.
During that time, the Salukis won their third Saluki Invitational in a row, Brooke Cusumano earned All-Conference honors and was named to the MVC All Scholar-Athlete first team and was awarded the prestigious MVC Elite 18 Academic Award for superlative achievement in academics and athletics. SIU had six MVC Golfers of the Week and four players earned National Golf Coaches Association All-American Scholar honors.
"I want to say thank you for all the support," O'Brien said. "Thank you to all the volunteers and donors throughout the year and the ones participate in the Saluki Invitational. I've had such and amazing players and parents the last few years that it makes my job easier. The players are a joy to coach and I will miss them."
O'Brien came to SIU in 2011, after serving for four seasons as the Head Coach for the women's golf team at Chicago State University.
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