The Georgia women’s golf team went all the way to the West Coast to find its next coach.
Josh Brewer, assistant coach for the women’s and men’s golf teams at Southern Cal, was named to the position Monday.
“Josh has experienced tremendous success at every level of his golf career,” Georgia athletic director Greg McGarity said in a news release. “Josh excelled as a student-athlete at Indiana University and as an assistant coach for five years. The last four years for the University of Southern California golf program have been remarkable, and we are confident Josh will be able to bring a very high level of experience to our program.”
Brewer replaces Kelley Hester, whose contract was not renewed. Hester, a former Georgia golfer who spent five years as the Bulldogs’ head coach, has since been hired to coach the Furman women’s golf team.
Brewer has been an assistant coach for both USC golf teams since 2008. During his tenure, the Trojans’ teams have combined to win two PAC-10 Championships and produced a National Player of the Year, a National Freshman of the Year, 12 All-Americans, three PAC-10 Players of the Year and two PAC-10 Freshmen of the Year. In addition, USC has produced two Curtis Cup and two Palmer Cup participants.
Prior to his stint at USC, Brewer served as assistant men’s golf coach and assistant club professional at Indiana, his alma mater, from 2003-08.
The Hoosiers secured NCAA Regional bids in four of Brewer’s five seasons in Bloomington and advanced to the NCAA Championships in 2008 for the first time in a dozen years.
“Josh is someone who I have seen out on the recruiting trail recruiting both men and women,” Georgia men’s golf coach Chris Haack said in a news release. “I’ve noticed he’s a tremendously hard worker — a workhorse — with a high level of energy who wants to excel and win championships. There was no doubt in my mind Josh was going to be a superstar head coach as soon as he got his chance. I’m extremely excited to be working with him to help take Georgia Golf to an even higher level.”
Brewer was a four-year letterwinner for the Hoosiers from 1994-98. He helped Indiana reach the NCAA Championships in 1996 and an NCAA Regional in 1997, as well as capture the Big Ten title in 1998. Brewer, the 1998 Indiana State Amateur Champion, was selected as an All-American Scholar by the Golf Coaches Association of America in 1997 and 1998 and was tabbed Academic All-Big Ten in 1996, 1997 and 1998.
A native of Brownstown, Ind., Brewer earned two degrees from Indiana — a bachelor’s in Business Management in 1998 and a master’s in Kinesiology in 2008.
The Georgia women’s golf team claimed the 2001 NCAA Championship and has posted 25 top-25 and 20 top-10 finishes at the national championships over the previous 34 seasons. Three Georgia golfers have captured individual national titles: Terri Moody in 1981, Cindy Schreyer in 1984 and Vicki Goetze in 1992.
Georgia is set to host the 2013 NCAA Championships on May 21-24 at the University of Georgia Golf Course. It will mark the fourth time the course has hosted the event, following 1981, 1983 and 1993.
