On May 21, 2026, the Women’s Golf Coaches Association (WGCA) solidified what many in the collegiate golf world had already witnessed: the dramatic transformation of the Eastern Michigan University (EMU) women’s golf program under the leadership of Josh Brewer. In just his second year at the helm, Brewer was named the 2025-26 WGCA East Region Coach of the Year, becoming the first coach in EMU history to receive this regional accolade. This award places him in elite company alongside national powerhouses, joining fellow regional recipients from Texas A&M, the University of Florida, and Stanford University.
The 2025-26 campaign has been nothing short of monumental for the 27th-ranked Eagles. Under Brewer’s guidance, Eastern Michigan secured its first-ever at-large selection to an NCAA Regional, traveling to Tallahassee, Florida. Not content with simply participating, the team finished fourth in the regional to punch their ticket to the NCAA Championships at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, California, another program first. This achievement is particularly rare for the Mid-American Conference (MAC); Brewer is only the second coach in MAC history to earn a WGCA regional honor, following Kent State’s Mike Morrow in 2001 and 2008.
Statistically, the "Brewer Effect" has been undeniable. Since he took over before the 2024-25 season, the Eagles have shattered the school record for a low team round six times and the 54-hole team score mark four times. To put this progress into perspective, Eastern had only shot 890 or lower in a 54-hole event seven times in the entire history of the program before Brewer’s arrival. In the last two seasons alone, his teams have achieved that feat 14 times, including every single tournament appearance this year. The team’s consistent excellence led to a peak ranking of No. 19 in the Scoreboard/Clippd and No. 23 in the WGCA Coaches Poll, the highest marks in school history.
This collective success has been fueled by standout individual performances from a roster Brewer has expertly managed. He helped two players earn medalist honors this season: Janae Leovao, who won back-to-back titles at The Southern and the Leadership & Golf Invitational, and Baiyok Sukterm, who claimed victory at the Silicon Valley Showcase. At the MAC Championships, three of Brewer’s players finished in the top 10, including Savannah de Bock, whose third-place finish was the best for an EMU player since 2011. Leovao and Sukterm continued their dominance at the Tallahassee Regional, both finishing in the top 10 to lead the team to the national finals.
Brewer’s ability to build a winning culture in Ypsilanti is supported by a deep coaching pedigree. Before joining EMU, he spent 12 seasons as the head coach at the University of Georgia, where he led the Bulldogs to 16 team titles and four NCAA National Championship appearances. His experience at high-level programs like Georgia, USC, and Indiana provided the blueprint for the rapid turnaround at Eastern Michigan. Furthermore, the strength of his coaching staff was recognized this year when his assistant, Caterina Don, a former player for Brewer at Georgia, was named to the WGCA National Assistant Coach of the Year watch list. EMU was one of only 11 programs in the nation to have both its head and assistant coach on the WGCA national watch lists this season.
Beyond the trophies and rankings, Brewer has maintained the program's commitment to academic excellence, a hallmark of his career. During his tenure at Georgia, his teams consistently maintained GPAs above 3.0, and he has brought that same focus on the "student" in student-athlete to EMU. As the Eagles prepare for their national tournament debut as the 21st seed, paired with traditional powers Baylor and Ohio State, the program stands at a new frontier. Josh Brewer has not only led Eastern Michigan to the top of the East Region but has also established a new standard of excellence that has redefined the possibilities for MAC golf.
