Eastern Washington University Athletics

Brenda Howe, a former golfer at Eastern Washington University, was hired as head coach prior to the 2009-10 season. The 2025-26 season begins her 17^th year at the helm of the program.

2025, 16th season: The Eagles concluded their 2025 season under Howe with a statement, as two players finished in the top 20 at the Bobcat Desert Classic. Finishing the tournament at 4.95 average on par fives and tying for the second-lowest score in the classic. Eastern also continued its excellence in the classroom as Eastern claimed the Big Sky Team Academic Champions, finishing with a 3.96 GPA, the second best in Division 1 Women’s Golf. Howe closes out the season with all seven of her Eagles placing on the Women’s Golf Coach Association (WGCA) All-American Scholar Team, marking a 12-season streak of placing at least one athlete on the list.

2024, 15th season: Eastern Washington showed flashes of brilliance in Howe's 15th season with the team, placing 4th at the 2023 Eagle Invitational and in the top-10 at the 54 for IX Tournament and the Bobcat Desert Classic. At the 2024 Big Sky Championships, senior Meghan Singh finished Tied for 10th, posting a career-low score of 216 for 54 holes.

Eastern showed success in the classroom for the second season in a row, with five student-athletes selected to the Women's Golf Coaches' Association (WGCA) All-American Scholar team. The Eagles also had six student-athletes earn Big Sky Spring Academic team selections. Most notably the WGCA ranked Eastern's golf student-athletes in the top 10 GPAs in the NCAA this spring.

2023, 14th season: Eastern Washington exceeded expectations in Howe's 14th season with the team, placing sixth at the 2023 Big Sky Championships after being selected to finish 8th. Senior Jaelin Ishikawa was the championship runner-up, posting a career-low score 212 (-4) for 54 holes in her final collegiate tournament. The team had two top-5 finishes in the fall of 2022 at the Kelsey Chugg Invitational and the Eagle Invitational.

Eastern was successful in the classroom as well, with five student-athletes selected to the Women's Golf Coaches' Association (WGCA) All-American Scholar team. The Eagles also six student-athletes earn Big Sky Spring Academic Team selections. 

2022, 13th season: Eastern Washington put together another successfully season in 2021-22 under the direction of Howe. Eastern had three top-10 finishes in the Spring, highlighted by the team's performance in the 2022 Big Sky championships. The Eagles placed fifth at the Big Sky Conference championships after being selected ninth in the preseason poll. The team shot 904(301-300-303) in the tournament and Jaelin Ishikawa finished ninth on the leaderboard after shooting a 221 for her second-straight Big Sky top-10 finish. Ishikawa would earn an All-Big Sky honorable mention for the second straight season with a 76.7 average round score in 12 total rebounds played.

In the team's final regular season tournament, Eastern finished seventh at the Bobcat Desert Classic. Ishikawa was key again for the team, with score of 225 to place sixth at the competition. The Eagles would also take 10th place at the Pizza Hut Lady Thunderbird Invite with 943 total strokes. Kami Twining earned a tie for 10th in the tournament with 224 total strokes.

With Howe's guidance, all six student-athletes would earn spots on the WGCA Al-American Scholar list, making it nine consecutive seasons an Eagle as qualified for the award. The six Eagles on the roster would also earn Spring All-Big Sky Academic Team honors. 

2021, 12th season: In the 2021 season, Howe's Eastern Washington squad competed in six events including the Big Sky Championships in Molalla, Ore. The Eagles finished eighth in the conference tournament with 947(320-314-313) total strokes and Jaelin Ishikawa notched a top-10 performance, finishing eighth with 225 strokes. For her success, Ishikawa was named an All-Big Sky honorable mention after averaging 77.0 shots per round in 13 total rounds played. At the Jackrabbit Invitational, Eastern earned a seventh place finish with 970(321-330-319) total strokes.

Howe also helped her team succeed in the classroom, placing five on the WGCA All-American Scholar list. It is the eighth consecutive season that an Eagle has earned a spot on the WGCA Scholar list. The five Eagles would also claim spots on the Big Sky Spring All-Academic team as well.

2020, 11th Season: Although the 2019-20 season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Howe and the Eagles still experienced plenty of success. Howe coached Madalyn Ardueser to three individual tournament titles during her senior season. Ardueser set a program record for the lowest three-round total with 210 strokes (-6) at the Battle at Old Works. Ardueser also put together a single-season average of 72.46 which is a program record and she leaves Eastern as the program’s career scoring average leader (74.77).
 
Ardueser earned First Team All-Big Sky honors along with junior Alexa Clark who earned an honorable mention nod. Ardueser was named Big Sky Golfer of the Week three times, while Howe also coached freshman Stephanie Heimler to a Golfer of the Week award as well.
 
As a team, the Eagles finished in the top-ten at every single tournament in 2019-20 and set a new program record for lowest three-round total with 888 strokes at the Battle at Old Works where they finished second.
 
Academically, Eastern Washington tied for the 15^th-best GPA in all of Division I with 3.832, and five Eagles earned individual WGCA All-American Scholar honors.

2019, 10^th Season: Eastern Washington made history to open the season at the Battle at Old Works as they took home the first-place team finish. It was the first tournament title since April 8, 2008 at the Cowgirl Classic and highest finish under Howe. It also marked the best finish at any tournament since March 12, 2013 where they Eagles placed second at the Jackrabbit Invitational. The Eagles shot a 908 to take home the title, which is third all-time in EWU History for the lowest three-round total. Additionally, sophomore Alexa Clark took home the individual crown after shooting a 219 (+3) overall (75, 71, 73) which is fifth all-time in program history for the lowest three-round total. Clark earned Big Sky Golfer of the Week for her efforts.
 
The following week, the Eagles took home first place again at The Challenge at the CDA Resort where they shot a 593 (296, 297). It was the first time since 1996 that the Eagles have won back-to-back competitions and the 593 strokes is tied for sixth all-time for the lowest two-round total in program history. Additionally, both Kirsten Ishikawa and Alexa Clark tied for first-place with 147 strokes and Ishikawa earned the Big Sky Golfer of the Week award for her efforts.
 
To cap off the season, the Eagles shot an 892 (293, 301, 398) to tie for fourth-place at the Big Sky Conference Championships. The finish was the best under Howe and the best finish since 2008. The 892 ties for second overall for the lowest total shot at the championships and is third all-time for the lowest three-round total for any tournament. Madalyn Ardueser shot a 219 to lead the Eagles, earning an eighth-place finish. Clark was named Second-Team All-Big Sky while Ardueser earned an Honorable Mention nod for the second time in her career. Eastern also crashed the record books, shooting a team average of 303.46 for a new program record. Alexa Clark’s season average of 75.14 is also a new program record.
 
2018, 9^th Season: For the second time in the last three seasons, the Eagles finished fifth at the Big Sky Championships, marking the best finish under Howe. Eastern shot an 894 (306-289-299), cracking the top-ten in lowest one, two and three round totals in program history in the process. The 894 strokes ties for second all-time for the lowest team score in program history at the championships. For the second-straight season, Eastern Washington had a freshman lead the team at the championships. This time it was Alexa Clark who tied for seventh after shooting just four over par. Four Eagles were named WGA All-American Scholars in Kimberlie Miyamoto, Kirsten Ishikawa, Madalyn Ardueser and Alexa Clark.
 
2017, 8^th Season: Eastern Washington started the 2017 season off strong by shooting a 901 (299-297-305) to finish fourth at the Hobble Creek Classic to open the year. The 901 strokes is tied for sixth all-time in program history for the lowest three-round total for a team. The Eagles would go on to finish fourth in two more invitationals that season. In her first year as an Eagle, Madalyn Ardueser was Eastern’s top-finisher in six tournaments that season, including a 10^th-place finish at the conference championships. Ardueser earned a spot on the All-Big Sky Honorable Mention team. Eastern notched a seventh-place finish at the championships that year, shooting a 934 (323-301-310). Five golfers also earned WGCA All-American Scholar status. The team also recorded the second-lowest scoring average in program history that year with 307.62 strokes.
 
2016, 7^th Season: Howe’s seventh season in 2016 was one for the record books. After finishing in the top-ten in six regular season tournaments, including a fourth-place finish at the Bison at Boulder Creek where the Eagles shot a 947, they earned the team’s best finish at the conference championships. The Eagles finished fifth out of the 12 teams at BSC Championships, where they shot an 889 (307-295-287). The 889 is still a program record for the lowest three-round total in program history and also the best at the conference championships. The 582 shot during the first two rounds in the second-lowest in program history along with the 287 shot during the third round. Marissa Borja shot four under and paced the Eagles with a second-place finish, the highest finish by an Eagle since 1994 and still the best individual finish in program history. Borja shot a 68 during one round, which is the second-lowest score in program history. Her two-round total of 138 and three-round total of 212 set new program records and she earned All-Tournament honors for her effort. Howe led Borja (2012-16) to the then-best career average in program history of 77.5.
 
2015, 6^th Season: The Eagles finished in the top-ten in five different tournaments in 2015. As a team, Eastern Washington tied for eighth place at the Big Sky Conference Championships after shooting a 932 (308-298-326). For the second-straight season, Eastern had three individuals earn WGCA All-American Scholar awards in Kirsten Ishikawa, Mercedes Khumnark and Kimberlie Miyamoto.
 
2014, 5^th Season: Under Howe during her fifth season at the helm, Eastern secured five top-ten finishes during the regular season. Eastern’s best tournament came at the Bison Invitational where they finished fifth with 594 strokes (331-363). The following week, Howe coached Marissa Borja to a first-place finish at the Southern Utah Invite where she finished just one over. Borja shot the fourth-lowest one-round total in program history with a 69 and shot a 142 which is the lowest two-round total by an individual in program history that season. Borja earned Second-Team All-Big Sky honors, the program’s first All-Big Sky nod since 2009 and the first under Howe. She also earned Big Sky Golfer of the Week that year. Howe also held her players to a high-academic standard, as Taylor Crandall and Maddie Dodge were named the program’s first WGCA All-American Scholars. The Eagles earned a seventh-place finish at the conference championships where they shot a 946 (314-309-322).  
 
2013, 4^th Season: The 2013 season saw the Eagles bring home three top-ten finishes during the regular season, including a second-place finish at the Jackrabbit Invitational. Eastern Washington shot a 932 (318-306-308) as a team and Marissa Borja earned a second-place finish, finishing just seven over. That season under Howe, Jayme Carbon turned in the fourth-lowest one-round total in program history with 69 strokes. She also shot the 10^th lowest individual two-round total (144) and seventh lowest three-round total (220) that season, both which came at the conference championships and are still second all-time in program history for a total at the championships.
 
Eastern Washington earned its best finish at the championships under Howe, finishing sixth overall with a total of 911 (301-312-298), a 39-stroke improvement from the previous season and the fourth-lowest team total in program history. Carbon was Eastern’s top finisher, finishing four over to earn a ninth-place finish.  
 
2012, 3^rd Season: Eastern Washington shot a 674 (336-338) at the Butler Spring Invitational to finish third overall with Sara Callagy earning a top-ten finish. The Eagles finished eighth for the third-straight year at the conference championships, shooting a 950 (314-323-313).
 
2011, 2^nd Season: In 2011, the Eagles finished third at the Shocker Invitational with a two-round total of 616 (313-303). Kellie Holmstedt brought home a fourth-place finish and earned the program’s first Big Sky Golfer of the Week award since 2009. The Eagles placed eighth at the Big Sky Championships with a three-round score of 952 (322-314-316), a 34-stroke improvement from the previous year.
 
2010, 1^st Season: Howe’s first season saw the Eagles finish eighth at the Big Sky Conference championships with a three-round score of 986 (324-328-334) with six golfers making the All-Big Sky Spring Academic Team.
 
Prior to Eastern Washington: Howe worked as a golf professional for seven years at Indian Canyon and Downriver Golf Courses.

She acted as assistant men's and women's golf coach at Washington State from 1999-2001. There, she recruited Kim Welch, a two-time National Golf Coaches Association All-American (2003 and 2004) who won 11 tournaments during her time as a Cougar. Welch also claimed the championship of the Golf Channel's "Big Break Ka'anapali" television series and was recently inducted into the Washington State Athletics Hall of Fame.

Personal: During Howe’s collegiate playing days, she twice earned All-Big Sky Conference honors (1995 and 1996), twice was named BSC Player of the Week (during the 1997 and 1998 seasons) and was twice honored by the Big Sky on its All-Academic team (1997 and 1998).

Howe (formerly Hall) earned her bachelor's degree in recreation management in 1999. She is married to Chris Howe and they have two children – Lauren and Ryan.