Barry University Women's Golf

Sykora served as the assistant coach for the Buccaneers mens and womens golf teams. He brought over 11 years of professional and instructional experience to Barry, which included four years of private instruction. Sykora's teams have produced an overall head-to-head record of 448-111-6. The Bucccaneers won three tournaments in 2015-16, and finished second in three others. Barry claimed back-to-back titles at the Saint Leo Invitational and Flagler Fall Slam, and won the NCAA Division I Lady Eagle Invitational hosted by Southern Mississippi. Tilda Larsson was named the Women's Golf Coaches Association National Freshman of the Year, as well as the Sunshine State Conference Freshman of the Year. She was a First-Team All-American, while Nicky Ferre was a Second Team selection, and Maria Paola Fiorio an honorable mention pick. The Bucs put together a 123-21-1 record. Barry qualified for its fourth straight NCAA Tournament in 2014-15 under Sykora. The Buccaneers finished sixth at the NCAA South Regional. Barry also won the SSC Championship for the first time in school history in 2015. A week earlier, Sykora's team won the Sonoma State Invitational. Three different Barry golfers had rounds in the upper 60s in the spring of 2015. Ferre qualified for the NCAA Championships as an individual. Barry was 100-38-2 in head-to-head competition. In 2013-14, Sykora guided Barry to an NCAA Championships runner-up. It was the third straight trip to the NCAA Championships under his leadership. Barry won four tournaments during the season. The Bucs set a school record for low round (289) in the second round of the NCAA Championships. Ferre was named a Second Team All-American. Sykora's team went 116-22-2. In 2012-13, Sykora led the Buccaneers to a third place finish at the NCAA Division II National Championships in his first year as head coach. Sophomore Nancy Vergara won the individual national title, shooting a 3-over 291 in Daytona Beach. It marked the first time in school history the Bucs qualified for back-to-back national championship events. Barry won the Flagler Fall Slam, while finishing second in the Division II Fall Preview and Southwest Minnesota State Spring Invite. Both of their runner-up finishes came on the course where the NCAA Championships were held. Vergara became Barry's first individual national champion n any sport. His team was 109-30-1 in head-to-head matchups. In 2011-12, Sykora helped the womens team capture a fourth place finish at the NCAA Championships in Louisville. It marked only the second time in the womens golf programs history the Bucs qualified for the NCAA Championships. Barry also won three events during the season. He also served as the mens assistant coach in 2011-12, helping Barry finish tied for fifth at the NCAA Championships. The Bucs won three tournaments during the season, finished runner-up five times and held the No. 1 national ranking for most of the year. In 2010-11, Sykora helped the mens and womens programs to a combined 163-61-1 record and a pair of tournament wins, including one with the womens team at the Flagler Fall Slam, and another with the mens team at the Buccaneer Invitational. Prior to joining the Barry coaching staff, Sykora served as the First Assistant Golf Professional at Teton Pines Country Club in Jackson, Wyo. At Teton Pines, he was the lead junior instructor. Before his position at Teton Pines, Sykora served as the head professional at Pine Island Ridge Country Club in Davie, Fla. Sykora was responsible for overseeing all aspects of golf operations. Sykora oversaw the direction of an active teaching program at the club. In addition to his professional experience, Sykora played professionally for 12 years. He played in two PGA Tour events. Beginning in 1995, his extended tour stops include the Web.com Tour, European Tour, Challenge Tour, New England Tour, North Atlantic Tour and the Tour De Las Americas. In 1998, Sykora made the cut at the B.C. Open in one of his two PGA Tour events. He also played in the tournament the previous year. Sykora won 11 events on the North Atlantic Tour, and was the 1998 NAT Player of the Year and the leading money winner on the tour. During that season, he won eight tournaments, including six on the North Atlantic Tour. In 2000, he tied for 12th twice while on the Web.com Tour, doing so at the Steamtown Classic in Scranton, Pa., and at the Cleveland Open. That same year, Sykora was the runner-up at the Peruvian Open in Lima, Peru on the Tour de las Americas, which now operates as the Latin America PGA Tour. He picked up his second runner-up finish in 2000 at the Brazilian Open in Sao Paolo, Brazil. In 2001, he won the New Hampshire State Open Championship. That same year, he was the Massachusetts Open runner-up. From 2004-07, he competed on the Challenge Tour and New England Tour. In 2004, Sykora finished fourth on the New England Tour money winners list. In 2008, while working at Teton Pines, Sykora won the PGA Rocky Mountain Section Championship in Cody, Wyo. His win qualified him for the PGA Assistants National Championships. Sykora has over 20 tour victories worldwide, and has competed in hundreds of professional events. In 2016, he competed in the Florida Open. Sykora is a 1994 graduate of the University of Tulsa with a bachelors degree in communications. He and his wife Shannon live in Fort Lauderdale.  Shannon Sykora enters his fifth year as Barry University women's golf team's head coach in 2016-17. He was named the acting head coach in June 2012, and took over as head coach in March 2013. For two years, Sykora served as the assistant coach for the Buccaneers mens and womens golf teams. He brought over 11 years of professional and instructional experience to Barry, which included four years of private instruction. Sykora's teams have produced an overall head-to-head record of 448-111-6. The Bucccaneers won three tournaments in 2015-16, and finished second in three others. Barry claimed back-to-back titles at the Saint Leo Invitational and Flagler Fall Slam, and won the NCAA Division I Lady Eagle Invitational hosted by Southern Mississippi. Tilda Larsson was named the Women's Golf Coaches Association National Freshman of the Year, as well as the Sunshine State Conference Freshman of the Year. She was a First-Team All-American, while Nicky Ferre was a Second Team selection, and Maria Paola Fiorio an honorable mention pick. The Bucs put together a 123-21-1 record. Barry qualified for its fourth straight NCAA Tournament in 2014-15 under Sykora. The Buccaneers finished sixth at the NCAA South Regional. Barry also won the SSC Championship for the first time in school history in 2015. A week earlier, Sykora's team won the Sonoma State Invitational. Three different Barry golfers had rounds in the upper 60s in the spring of 2015. Ferre qualified for the NCAA Championships as an individual. Barry was 100-38-2 in head-to-head competition. In 2013-14, Sykora guided Barry to an NCAA Championships runner-up. It was the third straight trip to the NCAA Championships under his leadership. Barry won four tournaments during the season. The Bucs set a school record for low round (289) in the second round of the NCAA Championships. Ferre was named a Second Team All-American. Sykora's team went 116-22-2. In 2012-13, Sykora led the Buccaneers to a third place finish at the NCAA Division II National Championships in his first year as head coach. Sophomore Nancy Vergara won the individual national title, shooting a 3-over 291 in Daytona Beach. It marked the first time in school history the Bucs qualified for back-to-back national championship events. Barry won the Flagler Fall Slam, while finishing second in the Division II Fall Preview and Southwest Minnesota State Spring Invite. Both of their runner-up finishes came on the course where the NCAA Championships were held. Vergara became Barry's first individual national champion n any sport. His team was 109-30-1 in head-to-head matchups. In 2011-12, Sykora helped the womens team capture a fourth place finish at the NCAA Championships in Louisville. It marked only the second time in the womens golf programs history the Bucs qualified for the NCAA Championships. Barry also won three events during the season. He also served as the mens assistant coach in 2011-12, helping Barry finish tied for fifth at the NCAA Championships. The Bucs won three tournaments during the season, finished runner-up five times and held the No. 1 national ranking for most of the year. In 2010-11, Sykora helped the mens and womens programs to a combined 163-61-1 record and a pair of tournament wins, including one with the womens team at the Flagler Fall Slam, and another with the mens team at the Buccaneer Invitational. Prior to joining the Barry coaching staff, Sykora served as the First Assistant Golf Professional at Teton Pines Country Club in Jackson, Wyo. At Teton Pines, he was the lead junior instructor. Before his position at Teton Pines, Sykora served as the head professional at Pine Island Ridge Country Club in Davie, Fla. Sykora was responsible for overseeing all aspects of golf operations. Sykora oversaw the direction of an active teaching program at the club. In addition to his professional experience, Sykora played professionally for 12 years. He played in two PGA Tour events. Beginning in 1995, his extended tour stops include the Web.com Tour, European Tour, Challenge Tour, New England Tour, North Atlantic Tour and the Tour De Las Americas. In 1998, Sykora made the cut at the B.C. Open in one of his two PGA Tour events. He also played in the tournament the previous year. Sykora won 11 events on the North Atlantic Tour, and was the 1998 NAT Player of the Year and the leading money winner on the tour. During that season, he won eight tournaments, including six on the North Atlantic Tour. In 2000, he tied for 12th twice while on the Web.com Tour, doing so at the Steamtown Classic in Scranton, Pa., and at the Cleveland Open. That same year, Sykora was the runner-up at the Peruvian Open in Lima, Peru on the Tour de las Americas, which now operates as the Latin America PGA Tour. He picked up his second runner-up finish in 2000 at the Brazilian Open in Sao Paolo, Brazil. In 2001, he won the New Hampshire State Open Championship. That same year, he was the Massachusetts Open runner-up. From 2004-07, he competed on the Challenge Tour and New England Tour. In 2004, Sykora finished fourth on the New England Tour money winners list. In 2008, while working at Teton Pines, Sykora won the PGA Rocky Mountain Section Championship in Cody, Wyo. His win qualified him for the PGA Assistants National Championships. Sykora has over 20 tour victories worldwide, and has competed in hundreds of professional events. In 2016, he competed in the Florida Open. Sykora is a 1994 graduate of the University of Tulsa with a bachelors degree in communications. He and his wife Shannon live in Fort Lauderdale. 

Braydon Bennett took over the helm for the Barry U women's golf program in the summer of 2025, coming from NCAA Divsion II powerhouse Dallas Baptist University in Texas. He became the seventh coach in program history since it began in 1998. He spent three seasons at DBU as an assistant coach for the men's and women's golf programs, winning two women's golf national championships and finishing tied for third the other year. In 2024-25, he helped lead the Patriots to another national title, as they recorded five tournament victories, highlighted by a dominant showing at the NCAA National Championships in Boulder City, Nev. After finishing atop the team leaderboard in stroke play, DBU went on to clinch the national title in medal match play, 4-1 over Central Missouri. Their final rank was third with a 290.7 average. The men's team posted four top-5 finishes and advanced to the medal match in the Lone Star Conference. They ranked #44 with a 291.2 average. In the 2023-2024 season, the Patriots saw abundant success from both programs. The women's team finished the season with six wins and two runner-up finishes. This includes a conference championship and a West Regional runner-up. The Patriots lost in the semi-final match of the National Championships. They also finished the year ranked #1 in the country, with an all-time low 289.2 scoring average. The men's team finished the season with four wins and two runner-up finishes. The Patriots won their first conference championship since 2016 and improved their national ranking from #49 to #8 in one season. During his first year with the program in 2022-23, the women's team won their second NCAA Division II National Championship. DBU won seven tournaments during the season, including the West Regional title. At the NCAA National Championships at the Fox Run Golf Club in Eureka, Mo., the Patriots finished atop the team leaderboard through three rounds of action. In medal match play, DBU defeated Nova Southeastern, 3-2, in the finals to capture the national championship. Also that season, the men's team finished with one tournament win and two runner-up finishes. Additionally, they improved their national ranking from No. 97 to No. 49 in one season. Bennett graduated with his master's degree at DBU in sports management in 2024. Before DBU, Bennett attended Texas A&M University. For three years, Bennett served as a student manager for the men's and women's golf programs and assisted the director of golf operations. In Bennett's senior year at Texas A&M, the women's golf team finished third in the nation. Bennett graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in kinesiology with a focus in motor behavior. While attending A&M, Bennett was also involved in the wakeboarding team and the mountain sports club and served as a volunteer for Breakaway Ministries. Prior to his time at Texas A&M, Bennett graduated high school from Midlothian Heritage, where he was a dual-sport athlete in basketball and golf, earning all-region awards in both.

Carlin was a member of the men's coaching staff that guided the Buccaneers to a tie for fifth place at the NCAA Division II Championships in 2016. The Bucs tied for fourth in the stroke play portion of the national tournament. Barry's women's team won three tournaments, and was the runner-up in three others in 2015-16.   In 2013-14, Carlin helped coach the Bucs men's team to a second consecutive NCAA Championship. That same year, he helped lead the women's team to a national runner-up finish. A year earlier, he assisted in the men's team's national championship season. It was a year the Buccaneers were ranked No. 1 or 2 throughout the season. The Buccaneers women's team finished third in 2013, and Nancy Vergara was the individual national champion that season. Prior to landing at Barry as an assistant, Carlin coached the boys and girls teams at American Heritage High in Plantation, Florida. His boys team won the 2012 state championship in the fall, while his girls team was the state runner-up that year. Carlin coached Barry women's golfer Nicky Ferre at American Heritage. Carlin was one of the better men's golfers in Barry history. He was ranked ninth in the country in 2009-10. That season he had a 72.09 scoring average, which ranked second in school history. Carlin won two tournaments that year, and had 18 par-or-better rounds as the Buccaneers won, at the time, a school-record four tournaments that season. In the second round of the 2011 Buccaneer Invitational, Carlin shot a 66, which is one stroke off the school record for lowest round. He matched that 66 in the first round of the 2010 Queens Invitational. Carlin shot a 133 (11-under) for the second lowest 36-hole event total in school history when he won the State Farm Laker Collegiate in 2009.  Carlin had a 73.62 career scoring average. He won three tournaments, and ranks second in school history with 49 par-or-better rounds. He earned his bachelor's degree in sport management from Barry in 2011. Chris Carlin was named an assistant coach for Barry's men's and women's golf teams in January 2013. He assists in player development, recruiting, on-course instruction and administrative duties. Carlin was a member of the men's coaching staff that guided the Buccaneers to a tie for fifth place at the NCAA Division II Championships in 2016. The Bucs tied for fourth in the stroke play portion of the national tournament. Barry's women's team won three tournaments, and was the runner-up in three others in 2015-16.   In 2013-14, Carlin helped coach the Bucs men's team to a second consecutive NCAA Championship. That same year, he helped lead the women's team to a national runner-up finish. A year earlier, he assisted in the men's team's national championship season. It was a year the Buccaneers were ranked No. 1 or 2 throughout the season. The Buccaneers women's team finished third in 2013, and Nancy Vergara was the individual national champion that season. Prior to landing at Barry as an assistant, Carlin coached the boys and girls teams at American Heritage High in Plantation, Florida. His boys team won the 2012 state championship in the fall, while his girls team was the state runner-up that year. Carlin coached Barry women's golfer Nicky Ferre at American Heritage. Carlin was one of the better men's golfers in Barry history. He was ranked ninth in the country in 2009-10. That season he had a 72.09 scoring average, which ranked second in school history. Carlin won two tournaments that year, and had 18 par-or-better rounds as the Buccaneers won, at the time, a school-record four tournaments that season. In the second round of the 2011 Buccaneer Invitational, Carlin shot a 66, which is one stroke off the school record for lowest round. He matched that 66 in the first round of the 2010 Queens Invitational. Carlin shot a 133 (11-under) for the second lowest 36-hole event total in school history when he won the State Farm Laker Collegiate in 2009.  Carlin had a 73.62 career scoring average. He won three tournaments, and ranks second in school history with 49 par-or-better rounds. He earned his bachelor's degree in sport management from Barry in 2011.