DOTHAN, Ala.
-- Longtime University of North
Alabama golf coach Billy Gamble was inducted into the Wiregrass
Sports Hall of Fame on April 14 at the
Dothan Civic Center.
A Dothan
native, Gamble has spent the last 19 years
as golf coach at North Alabama and he has
helped direct the Lions to numerous
milestone successes, including the school’s
first team appearance in the NCAA Tournament
in 1996, an NCAA Regional Championship and a
fourth place national finish in 2002 and
another NCAA Regional Championship and sixth
place national finish in 2003.
Since taking
over from Gary Elliott as head golf coach in
1989, Gamble has coached 19 All-GSC
performers,
11
All-Americans, and has helped UNA remain
among the most consistent performers in the
conference. In all, Gamble has led UNA to
eight NCAA regional appearances (1996, 1999,
2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006) and six
national championship tournaments (1996,
2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006). The Lions
also won their first-ever golf regional
title in 2002 and repeated in 2003.
Gamble made a
name for himself in the Wiregrass area of
South Alabama as an athlete long before his
coaching career. He graduated from Chipola
(Fla.) Junior College and then attended Troy
State University, where he played baseball
and earned a physical education degree in
1967.
Following a
brief professional career as a pitcher in
the St. Louis Cardinals organization, Gamble
went to work as a coach at Malone (Fla.)
High School and George High School in
Atlanta, before settling at Sprayberry High
School near Atlanta.
For nine and a
half years before going to West Georgia,
Gamble served as athletic director and head
coach at Sprayberry, where he produced
several outstanding teams and players,
including Chuck Nevitt of the Detroit
Pistons.
Gamble served
as a basketball assistant at West Georgia
for eight seasons, helping the Braves
compile a
162-67
basketball record during his tenure. West
Georgia won two Gulf South Conference
championships and played in five NCAA
regional appearances. He also coached the
WGC golf team. prior to coming to UNA and
was instrumental in helping put the UNA
basketball program back in the national
spotlight.
In 15 years
with Elliott and UNA, Gamble helped the
basketball Lions post an impressive 270-150
record that included four NCAA Tournament
appearances and the 1991 Division II
National Championship.
The 61-year-old
Gamble is married to the former June Passan
of New Britian, Conn.
Gamble’s Golf Record at UNA
1989 24-36
1990
1991
1992 51-31
1993 31-79
1994 60-105
1995 47-34
1996 47-34 NCAA Regional; Tied 13th in
Nation
1997 40-35-1
1998 33-34-1
1999 46-47 NCAA Regional
2000 72-37-2 NCAA Regional; 14th in Nation
2001 48-42-1 NCAA Regional
2002 60-21-1 NCAA Regional Champs; 4th in
Nation
2003 65-16-2 NCAA Regional Champs; Tied 6th
in Nation
2004 67-18 NCAA Regional; Tied 13th in
Nation
2005 61-18-3
2006 62-43-3 NCAA Regional; 14th in Nation
