Central Washington University head coach Ian Shoemaker has accepted a position at Eastern Washington University as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, Eagle head coach Aaron Best announced Monday (Feb. 25). His hiring is contingent on Shoemaker successfully passing EWU's mandatory background check.
 
Shoemaker has been CWU's head coach for the past five seasons, compiling a 38-16 record and winning Great Northwest Athletic Conference championships in 2017 and 2018. In those 54 games, Central has averaged 37.3 points per game and 447.3 yards of total offense.
 
He replaces Bodie Reeder, who left after two seasons to become offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at the University of North Texas.
 
"We are very fortunate and excited to bring a coach of Ian's caliber into our program," said Best. "He has a proven track record at multiple levels of football and we are privileged to get him on board this late in the game. His Washington roots, head coaching experience, and entire knowledge of the game are all great additions to our program, and allows us to continue to Advance The Standard."
 
"I am very excited to be coming to EWU as offensive coordinator," Shoemaker said. "From growing up in the state of Washington to having a younger brother play for the Eagles (Javid Shoemaker), I have always considered EWU as an elite university and football program.  I am so proud that Coach Best trusts me to do this job and look forward to working with the great coaching staff and players already in Cheney."  
 
In the 2018 season, the Wildcats opened the year by falling to Eastern 58-13, but won eight of their next nine. The Wildcats finished as the co-champions in the GNAC with Azusa Pacific, which beat the Wildcats 42-35 to end the regular season. Azusa Pacific was selected for the NCAA Division II Playoffs, as CWU finished 8-3 overall and 7-1 in the GNAC.
 
Shoemaker's quarterback the past two seasons was former Eagle Reilly Hennessey. He earned unanimous first team All-GNAC honors in 2018 and was the GNAC Offensive Player of the Year.  Hennessey threw for 2,705 yards and 21 touchdowns. The senior signal caller added another 477 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground.  Hennessey was named the GNAC Newcomer of the Year in 2017, as well as being a first team All-GNAC selection.
 
Central's offense finished fourth in Division II in scoring (47.7 points per game) and was second in total offense (540.9). The Wildcats ranked 10th in rushing at 272.64 yards per game, and had two 1,000-yard rushers. A total of 11 players earned first team All-GNAC accolades for the Wildcats in 2018.
 
In 2017, the Wildcats were 11-1 on the season and 8-0 in GNAC play, and advance to the NCAA Division II Playoffs. Shoemaker was selected as the 2017 Don Hansen Super Region 3 Coach of the Year, GNAC Coach of the year, and placed seven players on all-region squads.
 
"I have loved my time at CWU and have made great friendships and memories," Shoemaker added. "I look forward to making that same type of personal investment in EWU and the community of Cheney."
 
Shoemaker and his coaching staff have produced eight all-Americans in defensive back Isaiah Davis (2014), defensive lineman Tovar Sanchez (2014), wide out and returner Jesse Zalk (2015), linebacker Kevin Haynes (2016, 2017), tight end Kyle Self (2017), defensive back Tyler Hasty (2017), defensive lineman Bo Banner (2017) and offensive lineman James Moore (2017, 2018). In addition, both Sanchez and Haynes were named GNAC Defensive Lineman and Defensive Player of the Year, respectively.
 
A native of Graham, Wash., Shoemaker graduated from Orting High School. The Grinnell College (Iowa) graduate was a four-year starter in both football and baseball, and earned a degree in psychology.  He was the school's most valuable player and offensive back of the year in football, and set school records for home runs in a season and career in baseball.
 
From Grinnell, Shoemaker continued his studies in sport psychology at Western Washington University. Shoemaker began his coaching career as a graduate assistant for the Vikings from 1997-99, coaching the tight ends and running backs.  Shoemaker then went to University of Saint Mary in Leavenworth, Kan., as the offensive coordinator. From 2000-2003, he was the passing game coordinator at Minot State University in North Dakota.
 
Shoemaker's first NCAA coaching job was as assistant head coach and offensive coordinator at Kenyon College in Gambier (OH) for three seasons, followed by a two-year stint as offensive coordinator at Baldwin Wallace College (OH) from 2006-08.
 
Shoemaker's brother, Javid, played safety for Eastern Washington from 2001-04 after graduating from Bethel High School in Graham, Wash., in 2000.