Lipscomb University Director of Athletics Philip Hutcheson announced on Mar. 25 that women’s golf head coach Shannon O’Brien will leave her position following the conclusion of the 2025-26 season. O’Brien plans to relocate to Starkville, Mississippi, where her husband, Kevin O’Brien, recently accepted the head women’s soccer coaching job at Mississippi State University.
O’Brien’s tenure at Lipscomb has been marked by significant achievements for the Bisons’ women’s golf program. Since taking over in 2022, she led the team to new heights and established it as a contender both within its conference and nationally.
In her first season (2022-23), O’Brien guided Lipscomb to its first ASUN Conference Championship and NCAA Regional appearance. The team set several program records during this period, including most tournament wins and best season scoring average. She also coached Mary Kate Smith to ASUN Golfer of the Year honors and Lauren Thompson to an individual conference championship while mentoring four WGCA Scholar All-Americans.
The team’s success continued into the next year as they finished runners-up in the ASUN Championship for 2023-24. Thompson earned back-to-back individual titles under O’Brien’s leadership and qualified automatically for the NCAA Championships. The squad also maintained strong academic performance throughout these seasons.
“Shannon has been transformational for our women’s golf program,” said Director of Athletics Philip Hutcheson. “In just a few short years, she elevated Lipscomb golf to championship caliber while maintaining our commitment to helping our student athletes grow not just athletically, but also academically, socially, and spiritually. We are incredibly grateful for her dedication, leadership, and the foundation she has built. While we will miss her greatly, we celebrate this next chapter for Shannon and her family and wish them every success in Mississippi.”
O’Brien previously served nine years as an assistant with Lipscomb women’s soccer before moving into golf coaching—a background that shaped her approach emphasizing mental toughness and composure under pressure.
A national search for a new head coach will begin immediately as Lipscomb aims to build on recent successes.
