By Cannon Fritz | Reporter
When legendary head coach Mike McGraw announced his retirement after 28 years in college golf and 11 with Baylor, it seemed like a tall task to find someone with as close ties to the sport.
When Baylor men’s golf named Jean-Paul Hebert as the next head coach, university leaders believed they had found the right person to continue McGraw’s work.
“From the beginning, we sought a proven leader and teacher who values Baylor’s distinctive mission and has experience and/or strong ties to golf in the state of Texas,” Athletic Director Doug McNamee said in an interview with KCEN-TV.
Those ties run deep.
A Houston native, Hebert arrives in Waco after four successful seasons at UNLV and more than a decade at Texas. Yet his connection to golf stretches back much further, shaped by family, tradition and some of the game’s biggest names.
Growing up, Hebert was surrounded by golf through his father, Jay, and uncle, Lionel, who both were accomplished professional golfers from southern Louisiana. Despite their success, golf was never forced upon Hebert.
“I think they didn’t ever really want to push golf on me because it was just there all day in the house, outside the house,” Hebert said. “I got lessons at breakfast, lunch and dinner if I wanted them.”
The game became something he chose for himself instead. Hebert began taking golf seriously as a high school junior and eventually earned an opportunity to play at Texas.
His childhood gave him a unique perspective on the sport. Through his father’s involvement at Augusta National Golf Club, Hebert attended the Masters Tournament annually growing up. He recalls arriving before sunrise and interacting with legendary golfers whose stories still influence his coaching style.
“I met guys like Sam Snead and Julius Boros and Lee Trevino, just characters of a totally different time,” Hebert said. “As a coach, I’m taking a little bit of all that.”
Hebert also competed alongside future British Open champion Justin Leonard and regularly faced future PGA Tour stars like Phil Mickelson and David Duval at Texas. While the competition was elite, Hebert believes the experience was about more than golf.
“Those years are really going to shape you,” Hebert said. “I think my years of playing college golf had a lot to do with the person that I am now.”
Despite his deep roots in golf, coaching was not always part of the plan.
After college, Hebert worked at the University of Texas Golf Club while also holding positions with Golf Channel and CBS in television production. His career path changed when longtime Texas head coach John Fields invited him to become a volunteer coach.
“I didn’t even know what a volunteer coach at the time meant,” Hebert said.
He accepted the opportunity anyway. During 12 seasons on the Texas coaching staff, Hebert helped the Longhorns win two national championships.
“Coaching allows me to do all the things I feel like I was naturally good at,” Hebert said.
Hebert accepted his first head coaching position at UNLV in 2021. Taking over for a Hall of Fame coach who led the Rebels for 35 years, he rebuilt the program into a top-25 team, guiding it to a Mountain West Conference championship and earning Mountain West Coach of the Year.
Even while building success in Las Vegas, Hebert hoped to one day return to Texas.
The Baylor opening provided that opportunity.
The job carries personal significance. Hebert’s mother attended Baylor, and several other family members have ties to the university. Combined with the chance to lead a nationally competitive program, the position felt like a natural fit.
“It really feels good,” Hebert said. “I feel very lucky, very honored, and I’m very thankful to be here.”
His vision combines competitive ambition with personal development. He hopes Baylor becomes one of the nation’s premier destinations for elite golfers while continuing to prepare student-athletes for life beyond college.
“At the end of the day, it is,” Hebert said when asked whether developing young men matters more than winning. “But we’re at a place where we want to do it all.”
While Hebert wants Baylor competing for championships, he ultimately hopes players leave Waco with much more than trophies.
“I want us to succeed the Baylor way,” Hebert said. “We don’t do things because other programs do it. We do it because we know that’s what we do.”
As Baylor men’s golf begins its next chapter, Hebert’s goal is clear, and that is to honor the foundation laid before him while pushing the program toward even greater heights.
