Emory University Athletics Director Tim Downes has announced the appointment of John Sjoberg as head golf coach.  Sjoberg takes over for Mike Phillips who retired following the 2011 season after serving as the head man of the Eagles’ program for 28 years.

Sjoberg has been Emory’s assistant coach the past three years and helped the Eagles to a first-place finish at the 2011 University Athletic Association Championships.  During his stint with Emory, Sjoberg has played a key role in the program making three NCAA D-III Championship appearances, and this past year’s eighth-place effort was the first top-10 showing by the Eagles since 2006.  Sjoberg has helped mentor four different players to a total of five All-America berths, including 2011 honorees, Ryan Dagerman, Charles Raindre and Johnathan Chen.

“I would like to thank Coach Phillips for three great years to start my coaching career,” Sjoberg stated.  “I have learned more than I could have imagined in during that time and look forward to carrying on the tradition that Coach Phillips has built at Emory. 

“I am grateful to work for one of the nation's best universities and I want to express my gratitude to Tim Downes for the opportunity to coach Emory University's golf team,” Sjoberg continued.   “I look forward to continuing to build on the success we have had the last few years. I believe with the team we have, along with hard work, that we will continue to be competitive on the national level.”

Sjoberg came to the Emory program in July of 2008 after serving as the assistant professional at the Duke University Golf Club in Durham, NC, since 2005.  Among his responsibilities were serving as the primary liaison between the course and the university’s men’s and women’s golf programs, administration of tournament events and instruction.

Sjoberg attended Methodist University and was a member of the golf team from 2002 through 2004.  He was part of a program that earned three trips to the NCAA Tournament while claiming a pair of USA South Athletic Conference crowns.

“John’s experience as a student-athlete at Methodist University, one of Division III’s most storied programs under coaching legend Steve Conley, his work at the Duke University Golf Club and his last three years as an assistant under Mike Phillips have given him the ideal experience to understand how to be successful at the highest level of collegiate golf and how to be successful at Emory University,” Downes said. “He’s the perfect person to build on the wonderful work of Mike Phillips.”

Sjoberg earned his Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from Methodist in 2005.