Donn Gobbie enters his fifth season piloting the Pioneers' men's tennis program in 2026.
Arguably the most successful head coach in Prairie State history, the Gobbie era has been synonymous with success.
Three NJCAA Region 4 and three Illinois Skyway Conference titles are proof of this.
Gobbie, a recognizable name in not only the coaching ranks but also the northwest Indiana tennis community, returned to the college ranks in 2022 following a four-year hiatus from the collegiate game.
His teams have claimed the last three region and conference titles.
Gobbie has also collected his fair share of personal accolades as well, being selected twice as the Region 4 Coach of the Year and three more as Skyway Coach of the Year.
In 2024, Gobbie was selected as the "PSC Coach of the Year" after guiding the Pioneers to their second straight region and conference championship while placing 18th at the NJCAA National Tournament.
Gobbie, a longtime professor at Indiana University Northwest, last ran a college program in 2017 when he was the head men’s and women’s tennis coach at NCAA Division II Saint Joseph’s College in Rensselaer, Indiana.
While with the Puma’s, Gobbie laid claim to the best record in program history, constructing a 19-win campaign in 2004. While at Saint Joseph’s, Gobbie made contributions to the school’s athletic department as the institution’s NCAA Compliance Officer.
Gobbie also guided Purdue University Calumet for five seasons from 2008-2012.
The native of northwest Indiana also served as an assistant on the tennis staff at Valparaiso University from 1998 to 2001.
Gobbie also has experience at the prep level, manning the controls of two well-respected Indiana high school programs. Gobbie served as the boys and girls head coach at Griffith High School from 2017-2020 and Andrean High School from 2010-2015.
Gobbie has made serious contributions to the game of tennis outside of the coaching realm as well.
In 2001, Gobbie founded the Lakeshore Tennis Association in northwest Indiana, an organization which helps to restore neglected tennis sites while offering affordable tennis programs.
In 2018, the versatile Gobbie founded Crossminton U.S.A. to act as the official governing body of the sport of Crossminton (a combination of badminton, squash and tennis). Gobbie has played an instrumental part in organizing the U.S. Open and U.S. National Indoor Championships for the sport.
He also founded the World Professional Badminton League with teams in New York, Seattle, Los Angles, San Diego and Indiana. The league lasted from 2010-2016.
Gobbie is also a published author. In 2021, he penned “A Dollar & A Dream” chronicling the first women’s professional tennis circuit.
Gobbie holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Indiana University Northwest, a Master of Arts in American Studies from Purdue University a Master of Science from Indiana University and Doctor of Philosophy in health and Kinesiology from Purdue University. He resides in Brook, Indiana.
