WA Golf News March 12, 2025

Eastern Washington men's golf rises from the ashes

All photos courtesy of Eastern Washington University and EWU Athletics.

Nearly impossible to deny or overstate is the pride Eastern Washington University, in sun-drenched Cheney, Wash., takes in its 14 Division I athletics programs. Just look at Roos Field and its notorious, fire engine-red turf, aptly nicknamed “The Inferno.” But since the 2001-02 season and until this year, men’s golf was not part of the Eagles’ contingent of teams. In other words, not since guys named Tiger Woods, Retief Goosen and David Duval were winning the Majors did an EWU man last stand over a ball. Marc Hughes was that program’s head coach 23 years ago. He said its discontinuation was due in part to a university budget issue, where men’s golf became expendable through how the Big Sky Conference defined it.

“It wasn’t a ‘core sport’ at the time,” Hughes said, meaning it wasn’t a program necessary for conference sponsorship. It was a difficult moment. Hughes said he almost left the university, but he did remain as women's golf coach, and later as a gifts officer. In the latter role, which he served for seven years, he began to fundraise for athletics while “banging at the door” for men’s golf to rise again. He was promoted to deputy athletic director in 2016 but left two years later. He eventually returned to the school in his current role as assistant AD for revenue development, with a focus on fundraising support for EWU athletics. Leading that department now is Athletic Director Tim Collins, who began his tenure in 2023. Passionate himself about reviving the men’s golf program, Collins cited a distinct “quality and accessibility” of the game in Spokane County, facets he said align with the university’s educational missions. He also spoke of a desire to connect again with the EWU golf alumni of years past, who have remained part of the community in various roles.

“Our golf alumni, they show that they stay in the region...they contribute to the workforce,” Collins said. “So that was really important for us to bring [men’s golf] back, to reestablish that connectivity because it's a sport that aligns with our department, and our university's mission and vision.” Collins said the EWU golf alumni base helped fundraise over $250,000 toward a successful program restart. With such support already, Collins is excited for what can continue to come from that relationship, with the current generation considered. “Once the student athletes get on campus and we’re able to create those opportunities for the alumni and team to interact, that’ll just strengthen,” he said. Coaching today’s roster is Russell Grove, who came to Cheney after a decade coaching men’s and women’s golf teams at North Idaho College, which themselves will discontinue after spring 2025. Hired in January and thus presented with the unique challenge of recruiting a team much later than usual, Grove knows he’s entrenched within his duties.

“The last month has kind of been a whirlwind with trying to find the right players,” he said. “Right now I’m really focused on transfers, [I’m] in the transfer portal a lot, watching a lot of scores from every level right now.” Such a process illustrates the assembly of a program that was inactive for the past 23 seasons. Not quite able to take his time to the extent he usually would, Grove is nonetheless positive that any abnormalities will soon subside. “Normally I’d be on to ‘26, ‘27 for sure,” he said of potential recruits, adding though that he feels he’ll be caught up on the 2027 class by the time he can interact with it in mid-June. Regardless, Grove -- born and raised in Coeur d’Alene and a golf graduate of the University of Idaho -- understands the area’s wide golf reach as well as the opportunities provided by his new Division I program. “There’s just a lot of kids too that want to play Division I golf,” he said. “And this just provides another opportunity for them to accomplish their goals.” The Eagles announced their schedule in early March, which sees them compete in events hosted by Washington State, Washington, Colorado and Oregon State. Quickly assembled team or not, the Eastern Washington contingent will be raring to go. “We’re super excited, it’s an awesome schedule,” Grove said, adding that only one of his five current signees has DI golf experience. “It’s going to be kind of a learning process for everybody...but we’ve got to be ready to compete at that level for sure.” The Eagles’ home course will primarily be The Plains in Cheney, with potential to utilize others such as Indian Canyon and Kalispel in nearby Spokane for practice purposes. No word yet though on if the team will dye the greens red.

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Eastern Washington men's golf rises from the ashes

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