Billy Gamble is
in his 20th year 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, another NCAA Regional
Championship and sixth place national finish
in 2003 and a third regional title in 2007.
Since taking
over from Gary Elliott as head golf coach in
1989, Gamble has coached 21 All-GSC
performers, 13 All-Americans, and has helped
UNA remain among the most consistent
performers in the conference. In all, Gamble
has led UNA to nine NCAA regional
appearances (1996, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002,
2003, 2004, 2006, 2007) and seven national
championship tournaments (1996, 2000, 2002,
2003, 2004, 2006, 2007). The Lions also won
their first-ever golf regional title in
2002, repeated in 2003 and won a third in
2007.
In the summer
of 2007, Gamble was inducted into the
Wiregrass Hall of Fame as one of the most
notable sports figures to emerge from the
Dothan area of south Alabama. He was also
named NCAA Division II South Region Coach of
the Year in 2007.
Gamble served
as a basketball assistant at West Georgia
for eight seasons prior to coming to UNA and
has been 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.
A native of
Dothan, Ala., Gamble helped West Georgia
compile a 162-67 basketball record during
his tenure with the Braves, including two
Gulf South Conference championships and five
NCAA regional appearances. He also coached
the WGC golf team.
Gamble
graduated from Chipola (Fla.) Junior
College. He then attended Troy State
University, where he played basesball 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.
While at West
Georgia, Gamble also led the Braves golf
team. The 62-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
2007 96-20 NCAA Regional Champs 12th
in Nation
