In the summer of 2007, Paul "Hobie" Holbach was named the head coach of the women's tennis program at Bowdoin College. In his first season at the helm of the Polar Bears, Holbach led the squad to a program-best #8 end-of-year ranking and the team's first-ever NCAA Quarterfinal appearance and, over the past four seasons, Bowdoin has ranked consistently among the top programs in Division III.

Holbach has guided three Bowdoin players to All-American status since coming to Brunswick, several others have earned All-NESCAC recognition and two Polar Bears have earned prestigious honors from the Intercollegiate Tennis Association.

Holbach graduated cum laude from Gustavus Adolphus College in 1980 as one of the most distinguished players in the history of the school. A two-time Division III All-American and Academic All-American, Holbach was the 1980 Division III Doubles Champion and finished his career with a 113-35 mark in singles and 135-20 record in doubles play. Subsequently, Holbach was inducted into the Gustavus Athletic Hall of Fame.

During his time in St. Louis, Holbach directed one of the largest junior programs in the country. At the Sunset Tennis Center he coached several junior players to national junior championships, sectional titles and collegiate scholarships. Over 300 junior players were under his wing at the club.

In 1989 he moved to Los Angeles where he soon became nationally-known and coach some of the very best. In 1988 he became the assistant coach at UCLA where he helped lead them to the NCAA Semifinals. During this time, at UCLA he worked individually with players such as Stella Sampras (the 1988 NCAA Doubles champion, current UCLA women's coach).

For the next seven years, Hobie became one of the premier women's coaches in Southern California. The roster of players he coached during this period includes Lindsay Davenport (former world #1), Kimberly Po (world top-30 ranked player), Debbie Graham (1992 WTA Rookie of Year), Heather Willens (three-time NCAA All-American), Nicole London (two-time Easter Bowl winner), Marianne Werdel (world top-25 ranked player) and Jean Ceniza (UCLA NCAA doubles champion).

In addition to coaching 13 Division I All-Americans during that time, he also coached at Grand Slam events throughout the world, the NCAA Division I Championships and several top National Junior Championships.

He returned to the Sunset Tennis Center in St. Louis in 1995 to direct the junior program. He also spent two summers directing Tennis Safari, a program for underprivileged children in Kenya.

Holbach is now bringing his coaching expertise to Bowdoin where he plans to continue coaching indefinitely. As a former Division III player, Hobie loves the passion and desire that student-athlete possess. He feels that there is no better place in the country for a student to pursue the rich experience of athletics and academics than at Bowdoin.

Hobie married Cinda Gurney-Holbach in 2003. Cinda is also a tennis professional who was a three-time All-American at North Carolina. They live with their four pugs (Sox, Kenya, McKinley and Kili) in Georgetown, Maine.

Coach Holbach can be reached at pholbach@bowdoin.edu .