31-07-2025
Augusta University men's, women's golf programs find new conference home. On the West Coast
Both men's and women's Augusta University golf programs have a new home.
The university announced Thursday that they are set to join the West Coast Conference as affiliate members, beginning with the 2025-26 academic year.
Augusta competed as an NCAA Division-I independent until joining the MEAC (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) in 2014. The Jaguars joined the Southland Conference following the 2021 season.
"This is a great day for Augusta Golf," Augusta athletic director Ryan Erlacher said in a statement. "The West Coast Conference has an excellent reputation and will provide a wonderful new home for our golf programs. They've been beyond impressive to work with and we are grateful to their leadership for this tremendous opportunity. We look forward to representing the WCC exceedingly well for years to come."
Famously, the Augusta men won back-to-back national championships in 2010 and 2011. Coached by Josh Gregory at the time, those teams featured names like Henrik Norlander and 2018 Masters Tournament champion Patrick Reed. In 2018, Broc Everett brough home the induvial NCAA national title at Karsten Creek Golf Club in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
In total, the Jaguars have advanced to the NCAA Championships 25 times, including top-5 finishes 1993, 1998, 2002, 2005, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2018 and 2025.
"This is an exciting announcement for our program," Augusta golf director and men's golf coach Steven Paine said in the release. "Joining the West Coast Conference positions our team among top-tier competition and opens new opportunities for growth, exposure, and championship play. Our players will embrace the challenge, and we're confident this move will elevate our program to even greater heights."
On the women's side, Augusta advanced to the NCAA Championships in 2023 and owns 11 NCAA Regionals appearances since 2006. Kennedy Carroll (2024) and and Zoe Pinillos (2025) were named Southland Conference individual champions, while Florida State star Mirabel Ting earned those honors ― along with an All-American nod ― in 2023 as a freshman with the Jags.
"It's a great opportunity for Augusta Women's Golf to compete at a higher level, grow as a team, and represent our university with pride," Augusta women's golf coach Ember Holloway said in the release. "We're ready for the challenge and grateful for the chance to be a part of something bigger."
The other members of the West Coast Conference include Gonzaga, Loyola Marymount, Pacific, Pepperdine, Portland, Saint Mary's, San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Clara and Seattle. Gonzaga is set to join the Pac-12 on July 1, 2026.
