Montana State University Billings Athletics

Shawn O'Brien begins his seventh year as the head men's and women's golf coach at Montana State Billings.
 
For the second year in a row in 2015, O’Brien led the MSUB women to a second-place finish at the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championships in the team race. On the men’s side in 2014-15, O’Brien coached senior Jake Hedge into the NCAA Division II West Region Championships, after he was selected as a first-team all-GNAC pick with an MSUB-record low season scoring average of 73.0.
 
Also among notable performances under O’Brien’s guidance in 2014-15 was a fourth-place finish by freshman Austin Berg at the Chico State Invitational in October of 2014.
 
In 2013-14, O’Brien’s women’s team finished in second place at the GNAC Championships, and senior Capri Ingram finished fourth individually at the event.
 
After leading Gage Huft to the Men's NCAA Div. II South Central/West Regional and the Yellowjacket women to a solid finish at the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championships, O'Brien was named the GNAC Women's Coach of the Year following the 2012-13 season.

In his first year, O'Brien guided the women's golf team to its second-straight NCAA tournament appearance and led the team to the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference tournament title. In addition, O'Brien was named RMAC Women's Golf Coach of the Year.

Under O'Brien the Yellowjackets have recorded 17 combined individual victories and 54 individual top-5 finishes. He has coached 22 all-conference selections and 28 academic all-conference selections.



In 2011, O'Brien coached the male (Brad Harrelson) and female (Melissa Saken) GNAC Freshman of the Year, and in 2012, Cayley Fish and Eric Gravbrot were named the GNAC Female and Male Freshman of the Year.

O'Brien is a member of the National Golf Coaches Association and the Montana Coaches Association.

O'Brien spent two years assisting the women's basketball program at MSUB and previously was an assistant coach for boys' basketball at Belfield High School (N.D.) in 2006-07. He was an assistant coach for the girls' varsity at Campbell County High School (Wyo.) in 2007-08.

O'Brien had an outstanding career as a kicker for the football team at Dickinson State University. In 2004 as a freshman, he set a school and Dakota Athletic Conference record by hitting 17 field goals for the season. O'Brien also had 42 extra points for 93 points and led his team to the quarterfinals of the NAIA National Championships. He earned all-DAC and all-America honors that season. O'Brien was a three-time all-DAC honoree and still holds the school career records for field goals (34) and extra points (109). His 211 points rank among the top-5 in school history.

He is the son of Deb and the late Thomas O'Brien and has a sister, Molly. He has a bachelor's degree in physical education with a minor in coaching from Dickinson State. He earned his master's degree in school counseling from MSUB in 2010. 

On Sept. 5, 2009, O'Brien married Kristen Rogers of Colstrip, Mont. The couple and their son Luke reside in Billings.