History of CSUSB Golf

By Alexis De La Cruz |Staff Writer|

Golf has a long and prestigious history, that can be dated back to 1457. Golf at CSUSB has a been around since 1986 and has an impressive history.

CSUSB introduced golf as a part of the athletics program in 1986. Competing in NCAA Division III, golfers set out to bring back glory to San Bernardino.

Straight out of the gate the CSUSB Golf team made 13 trips to the national championship tournament. The team brought home third place finishes in 1988, 1997 and 1998.

During those years golfers coming from CSUSB finished in the top five on seven different occasions.

TheCSUSB golf team finished third in the national tournament, with captain Scoot Housholder dominating the competition. 

Householder is the only person in CSUSB history to win an individual national championship. He also led his team to victory in several invitationals.

Under coach Fred Hanover, our Coyotes were able to beat prestigious Division I schools; BYU, Cal State Northridge, Weber State and Gonzaga at the Got Milk Bengal Invitational.

The program’s success continued. Coach Thomas Mainez Jr. joined the coyote family and worked to create a legacy beginning in 2005.

In his first year as head coach, Mainez, led the Coyotes to a seventh-place finish at the NCAA Division II championships and a fifth-place finish at the NCAA West Regional.

During the 2006-07 season, the Coyotes finished 11th at the NCAAs after winning the NCAA West Regional and finishing second in the CCAA Tournament.

In 2007-08, CSUSB finished second in the CCAA and qualified for a third straight trip to the NCAAs where the team finished 18th.

The following year proved to be another successful season for the Coyotes and coach Mainez. The team made their fourth consecutive NCAA trip, where they were a close runner-up.

The Coyotes were caught by Sonoma State on the 72^nd hole at the NCAA Division II Golf Championship. The team’s faced-off in a one-hole playoff, where they lost.

CSUSB came so close to winning what would have been the first national team title but lost to the Seawolves, the two-time CCAA conference champs.

Mainez left the program after the 2015-16 season, and his assistant coach for two years, Kyle Emerson took over the program.

Emerson, a CSUSB alumnus also played golf for the Coyotes in the mid-90’s.

The Coyotes finished seventh at the CCAA Championship held at Industry Hill Golf Club in Palm Springs. Senior Greg Robarge qualified for an individual berth to the NCAA tournament.

Although Robarge was unable to stay in contention after the second day of play, the senior was one of 10 golfers named to the 2016-17 All-CCAA golf team.

The Coyote golf program has a long and bitter history with the NCAA tournament.

Although the team has yet to bring home a title, their quest for glory will not end. Emerson along with upcoming seniors Shearn Chua and Tristan Stone look to lead their team all the way in the 2017- 2018 season.