Georgia coaching trio leaves for Oklahoma

By: RYNE DENNIS

Posted: 7/2/09

Life will soon be different for Ryan Hybl.

Born and raised in Georgia, Hybl came to the University on a golf scholarship in 2000 and was one of the most decorated players in Bulldog golfing history before becoming an assistant coach in 2005.

But just last week, Hybl was named the head golf coach at the University of Oklahoma.

"Athens, I've been there for 10 years now and I played there and have been there since 2000 and haven't left since and it's home to me," Hybl said. "You know, it's my alma mater, so Georgia is near and dear to my heart and to my family. I don't have very much hair on my head right now but I feel that I lost even more trying to figure out what was going to happen. It was sad, it brought a tear to my eye. It was a tough day to have to leave Athens."

Hybl is the younger brother of Nate, who played football and golf at Georgia before transferring to Oklahoma and starting as the Sooners' quarterback. Ryan jokingly claims Nate was only on the golf team as a recruiting tool to get him to come to Athens, but the family name is something that is synonymous with golf at the University.

"I was actually cleaning out my locker at the golf course, at the Boyd Center and my brother actually played on the golf team back in 1999 and his name was on the locker when I came in a year and a half later, so there's only been Hybl's at that locker since the building actually was built." Hybl said. "So I text messaged [head golf] coach [Chris] Haack and Jim Douglas, our old assistant, I told them both that it was a sad day in Athens, Georgia that there will be no Hybl's at this locker."

But Hybl is just one item in the shopping spree that Oklahoma went on last week to bring present and former Bulldogs' assistants onto their staff as coaches. Women's golf assistant Veronique Drouin was hired as head coach of the Sooner women's golf program, and former Bulldog tennis great John Roddick was named head coach of its tennis team.

"I don't know why it all worked up that way," Drouin said. "Everyone keeps asking, 'well are they gonna get more coaches from Georgia or what?'"

Though it did seem ironic that Oklahoma would come to Georgia to find coaches, the hirings were pure coincidence, according to Oklahoma Director of Athletics Joe Castiglione.

"In most ways it is truly just a coincidence more than any plan to move in that direction," Castiglione said. "The hiring's were the result of three independent searches."

Castiglione says he is good friends with Georgia Athletic Director Damon Evans and that he likes what Evans is doing at Georgia.

"Let's not kid ourselves, there's a lot of wonderful characteristics that the Georgia programs embody," Castiglione said. "Between consistency at the highest level and obviously championship programs and outstanding student-athletes, outstanding coaches, they're part of an overall great athletic program and one that we respect greatly."

Roddick, a four time All-American from 1995-99 while playing for the Bulldogs, was an assistant from 2000-2002. But he might be best known for coaching his younger brother, Andy (currently in the semifinals at Wimbledon), professionally from 2006-2008. Roddick has run the Roddick Total Tennis academy in Austin and San Antonio, Texas the past seven years but has recently sold his share in the operation due to conflict of interest issues that could arise. Though it's been almost seven years since coaching in Athens, he still remembers his time here fondly.

"I talk to [Georgia head tennis] coach [Manuel] Diaz about every other week," Roddick said. "Georgia is a special place and will always be in my heart."

Drouin has been at Georgia for the past four years as an assistant, and said that it was always her dream to be a head coach on the collegiate level some day. She is thankful for the opportunities that came her way while at Georgia.

"Georgia's always been one of the premier programs in the country and the people there are great and I definitely thank the athletic association and [head women's golf coach] Kelly Hester for all they've done with me," she said. "Obviously I had a great time because I stayed for four years. I think Georgia is a great program and I came to Georgia as an assistant to hopefully get a head job somewhere and it worked out."

Fortunately for Drouin and Hybl, they will enter their first head coaching jobs together. Golf is different than other sports on the collegiate level because the coaches offices are often together in the same building at the golf course which means that the coaches must have a good working relationship to make things work.

"It's going to be a fun and easy transition with Ryan being in the same office as me and I'm very excited to have him to work with," Drouin said.

Added Hybl: "It couldn't be any better for two of us coming into our first head jobs. The transition is awesome because she knows how I work and I know how she works and we know what each other's visions are and we're definitely willing to work together on a lot of issues."

The selection of the three coaches with Georgia ties proves that other programs around the country think highly of the Bulldogs athletic program. And Hybl and Roddick aren't surprised that Oklahoma would turn towards Athens to find its leaders.

"It shows the quality of program that Georgia has," Roddick said. "Especially a school like OU, it's a big time athletics school, also, and I think it says a lot about how deep the coaching staffs at Georgia are."

"From top to bottom, from the athletic department, our sports have always been so competitive at Georgia," Hybl said. "From the football program, all the way down to the…well there is no bottom because everybody is going after winning championships."