Josh Brewer’s selection as the 2025-26 Women’s Golf Coaches Association East Region Coach of the Year is a major milestone for Eastern Michigan women’s golf. It is also a meaningful reflection of something bigger: what can happen when leadership, talent, and sustained investment come together around a clear vision for growth.

For GameAbove Golf, Brewer’s recognition is the latest sign that Eastern Michigan’s golf programs are building real momentum at the highest levels of collegiate competition. In just his second season, Brewer helped guide the Eagles to their first NCAA regional appearance and first NCAA Championships berth in program history, while leading one of the most successful seasons the program has ever produced.

That kind of progress does not happen by accident. It is built over time through culture, player development, competitive belief, and the resources required to support excellence every day.

A Program Moving Into a New Era

The 2025-26 season marked a historic step forward for Eastern Michigan women’s golf. The Eagles delivered top-11 finishes in 11 of their 12 tournaments, including three team titles and five runner-up finishes. Along the way, the program climbed to No. 19 in the Scoreboard/Clippd rankings and No. 23 in the WGCA Coaches Poll, both the highest marks in program history.

The postseason run elevated that progress even further. Eastern earned an at-large berth to the NCAA Tallahassee Regional and advanced to the NCAA Championships for the first time, placing the program on one of the sport’s biggest stages.

Brewer’s regional coaching honor stands as recognition of that achievement, but it also represents the standard now being established within the program.

Why This Matters to GameAbove Golf

GameAbove has invested in EMU Golf with the belief that the program could achieve at a much higher level with the right support system in place.

That belief has taken visible form in recent years. In September 2022, GameAbove broke ground on the GameAbove Golf Performance Center at Eagle Crest Golf Course, creating a world-class indoor training facility designed to support year-round player development. The 13,000-square-foot center officially opened in January 2024 following an $8 million investment from GameAbove.

Just months later, in May 2024, GameAbove announced an additional $6.5 million commitment to elevate EMU’s men’s and women’s golf programs. That gift brought GameAbove’s total support for EMU Golf to more than $14.5 million, the largest gift by a single donor to one sport in the university’s history.

From the beginning, the purpose of those investments was not simply to build facilities. It was to help create an environment where student-athletes and coaches could compete, develop, and lead at a championship level.

Brewer’s award is a strong example of that vision gaining traction.

A Milestone That Signals More Ahead

This season’s results suggest EMU women’s golf is no longer just chasing milestones. It is beginning to set a new baseline for what the program can be.

Brewer became the first coach in Eastern Michigan history to earn a WGCA regional coaching award, and his team’s performance backed up the significance of that honor. The Eagles broke through nationally, continued to lower program scoring standards, and showed they can compete with the best teams in the country.

For GameAbove Golf, that progress reinforces the value of investing in people, performance, and long-term opportunity. It is the kind of growth that strengthens a program from the inside out and creates a foundation for future success.

Josh Brewer’s recognition is an individual honor, but it also tells a broader story: EMU Golf is rising, and the work being done around the program is producing results that matter.