FARMINGTON, Utah — For the first time since 2002, Eastern Washington men's golf is the Big Sky preseason poll. EWU was picked to finish fifth in the conference's preseason coaches' poll, garnering 10 points.
Men's golf was announced to return last October to compete in the 2025-26 academic year, after being discontinued following the 2001-02 season.
Russell Grove was
named head coach in January of 2025 to head the program, the sixth head coach in EWU men's golf history.
This past May, Eastern announced it would rejoin the Big Sky conference, after being a member from 1992 to 2002. Along with the Eagles, Francis Marion moves to the Big Sky from the Southland Conference, bringing the total membership to six programs. Idaho, Northern Colorado, Sacramento State and Weber State complete the group of full-time members.
Grove leads the program's reintroduction into competition after leading both the men's and women's golf teams at North Idaho College the last 10 years. He earned seven Northwest Athletic Conference (NWAC) Coach of the Year awards in his tenure.
Grove is also a certified Class Member of the Professional Golfers Association of America. He competed at the 2023 PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, New York.
Going into the season, Grove has a deep, 10-player roster to build the program. The new Eagles are led by freshman Cal Anderson, Charlie Gaffney and Kevin Wang. Grove added transfers Jason Bustos, Trey LeCheminant, Lucas Hughes, Eli McNelly, Zach Miller, Hogan Park and Ethan Parker.
Miller qualified for the 2025 US Amateur in July, tying for 33rd on the leaderboard.
Sacramento State was picked to repeat as conference champions after winning the title in April. The Hornets received five of the possible six first place votes.
EWU begins its first season back on the course at the Palouse Collegiate in Pullman, Wash. on Sept. 8 through the 10th. Eastern also competes at The Tindall (Sept. 21-23) in Bremerton, Wash., the Mark Simpson Invitational (Sept. 28-30) in Erie, Colo. and the Beaver Invitational (Oct. 13-25) in Salem, Ore. during the fall season.
2025-26 Men's Golf Preseason Coaches' Poll
- Sacramento State (5) – 25
- Idaho (1) – 21
- Northern Colorado – 13
- Weber State – 12
- Eastern Washington – 10
- Francis Marion – 9
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ABOUT EASTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS
Eastern Washington University Athletics sponsors 14 intercollegiate sports, six for men and eight for women, both as learning opportunities for its most athletically talented students and as an enhancement to student and community life. Eastern is affiliated with Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and is a member of the Big Sky Conference, an association of 10 regional schools with comparable enrollments and academic goals.
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