Big Ten golf sensation has Shelby County roots

For Shelby County sports fans, the name Larrabee generally conjures memories and images of basketball glory from the late 1960s. Harry Larrabee dazzled the Golden Bears faithful with hardwood skills that earned him a spot on the 1970 Indiana All-Star team and later induction into the University of Texas Athletic Hall of Fame.

However today, another Larrabee has captured the spotlight and is adding to the family athletic legacy with remarkable feats on the collegiate golf circuit.

Baylor Larrabee, the son of Scott and Kellie Larrabee and grandson of Harry and Betsy, recorded an outstanding campaign in his first season with the UCLA golf team. He was recently named the 2025 Big Ten Freshman Golfer of the Year and was also a second team all-conference selection.

Baylor recorded six rounds in the 60s this season and had five finishes in the top five.

“Baylor’s impact on our team has been huge for our team but huge for him too,” said UCLA head coach Armen Kirakossian in an interview on the Big Ten Network. “He is a hungry golfer. He gives it his all, all the time and has brought tremendous energy to the team. There are huge things to come from him in the future.”

The accolades continued to accumulate for the Bruins as Kirakossian was honored as 2025 Big Ten Conference Coach of the Year.

Baylor, a Ferndale (Washington) High School graduate, compiled a remarkable and highly impressive resume of golfing achievements prior to his matriculation to UCLA. He won the 2024 Junior Boys PGA Championship in Bethesda, Maryland, was named 2024 Washington Junior Golf Association Player of the Year and was selected 2023 Washington Boys Golfer of the Year.

Baylor’s parents both played basketball at the University of Alaska-Anchorage where his grandfather, Harry, worked in head coach and athletic director capacities. The family resided in Shelbyville for several years when Scott worked as an assistant boys’ basketball coach under his father.

Scott also served as the Shelbyville girls basketball head coach from 2013-2015 at which time family illness necessitated a move back to Kellie’s home area of northwest Washington state.

“We really enjoyed having Scott and Kellie in Shelbyville during those years,” said Harry. “Baylor had a lot of fun attending Coulston Elementary School and hooping it up at the Boys and Girls Club.”

UCLA captured the 2025 Big Ten Conference championship and then finished third in the Auburn Regional. This marked the Bruins’ first conference title since 2006 and earned them a berth in the NCAA championship round in Carlsbad, California.

The UCLA Men’s Golf Team is nationally ranked 14^th and finished 22^nd out 30 teams in the NCAA championships held this past weekend.

Long-time Shelbyville fans are undoubtedly heartened to know that Baylor is carrying on the Larrabee family tradition of sports excellence.

“Watching Baylor succeed has been a wonderful experience for all of us,” said Harry from the championships in California. “We are looking forward to seeing him grow and are confident that he will continue to make great strides. He inherited that Golden Bear work ethic.”

The Shelby County Post is a digital newspaper producing news, sports, obituaries and more without a pay wall or subscription needed.