James Schilling is in his 23rd season at the helm of the Nicholls State University men’s golf program.
Schilling, who served as an assistant coach for a season, moved into the head post in 1998. The native of Lafayette, La., played two seasons at Centenary College in Shreveport before transferring to Nicholls to complete his golf career, lettering twice.
During his tenure as head coach, the Colonels have claimed three tournament victories, most recently in the fall of 2010 as the Colonels won the HBU Invitational. Nicholls' first victory under Schilling was in the 2001 Pizza Hut/Bellsouth Classic in Jackson, Miss. Nicholls repeated as tournament champs in 2002 beating The United States Military Academy. In 2017, Nicholls placed fourth in the Southland Conference Championships, which was the best finish in program history.
The Colonels have also achieved success on an individual level as well under Schilling, as his squad has claimed six individual titles since 2010. An impressive showing in the 2017 Southland Conference Championships saw three Colonels earn top 10 finishes, highlighted by Albert Badosa-Soler who was tied for first after 54 holes. Following a six-hole playoff, Badosa went on to become the first Colonel in program history to win the Southland title. Joining Badosa in the top 10 were Jack Lee (t-5th) and Josh Fullilove (t-8th).
With Badosa winning the SLC title, the junior represented Nicholls and the conference in the NCAA Championship, playing in the Baton Rouge Regional at the University Club. For his outstanding efforts, Badosa was named First Team All-Southland and Second Team All-Louisiana. His first-team selection was the first for the Colonels since joining the Southland.
In addition to Badosa's SLC title, three golfers have won individual crowns over the last decade. As a freshman, Jack Lee was a co-medalist at the Second Annual Atchafalaya Intercollegiate on the Colonels' home course in 2016. Kristjan Einarsson won three individual medals during his career, with his first coming at the HBU Invitational in 2010. The next year, Einarsson went on to claim two more titles, winning the Grub Mart-Young Oil Intercollegiate in the spring before taking the Harold Funston Invitational championship in the fall. In 2015, Andri Bjornsson added to the total after winning the Red Wolves Intercollegiate in April.
The trio's play did not go unrecognized as each were honored by the Southland with all-conference accolades. Einarsson was named All-Southland in 2010, while Bjornsson was a repeat honoree after being selected in 2013 and 2015. Lee became the first player in program history to earn a top honor in the Southland as he was named Freshman of the Year, as well as Second Team All-Southland. He also went on to be named Second Team All-Louisiana by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association (LSWA).
Schilling had at least one Colonel earn All-Southland for five consecutive years from 2015-19. Following Bjornsson's and Lee's accolades in '15 and '16, Badosa landed on first team after winning the title, then was named third team in '18. Baker Stevenson kept the streak going with a second-team selection in his senior year in '19. No All-Southland teams were announced in 2020 with the cancelation of the season due to COVID-19.
In his first ten years at Nicholls, Schilling served as head coach for both the women's and men's teams. Schilling has recruited and coached one NCAA All-American and 14 All-Southland Conference players.
Aside from team accomplishments, Schilling is credited with founding the Gulf Coast Collegiate. Under Schilling's direction, Nicholls became one of only three Southland Conference schools to host both a men's and women's tournament. Nicholls hosted the inaugural event in 2000 in Bay St. Louis, Miss.
Schilling founded the Nicholls Golf Classic, also known as the CAA Golf Tournament, which was an annual fund raising event held in May at the Atchafalaya Golf Club in Patterson, La., which served as the Colonels' home course. In 2015, Schilling brought the Inaugural Atchafalaya Intercollegiate to the course, which featured an eight-team field held in late February. The event was held annually through 2018 and expanded to as many 13 teams.
The LaTour Golf Course in Mathews, La. became the new home for Nicholls golf in 2018. The Colonels hosted two events at LaTour in '18-19 -- the LaTour Collegiate Challenge in the fall and the LaTour Intercollegiate in the spring. Along with hosting the LaTour Intercollegiate again in the spring of 2020, Schilling co-hosted the Gulf Coast Collegiate with New Orleans in Diamondhead, Miss.
In addition to the team's home course at LaTour, the Colonels have their own Nicholls Golf Complex on campus, located next to the Harold J. Callais Memorial Recreation Center
Schilling currently holds membership in the Golf Coaches Association of America.
Schilling is married to the former Effie Ford of Houma. The couple resides in Houma and has two sons, William and Andrew.
