Sept. 9, 2005

West Texas A&M University Athletic Director Ed Harris announced today (Sept. 9) the hiring of new golf coaches for WTAMU. Former Lady Buff Meredith Easley will be the women's coach, while Amarillo native Jeremy Hodges will coach the men's team.

Easley and Hodges replace Brad Borden, who resigned earlier this month to take a full-time teaching post at Amarillo College.

"I believe that it was time to split the two programs and provide separate coaching support and attention for each program," Harris said.

These positions are effective immediately, as Hodges will make his coaching debut in leading the WTAMU men at the Abilene Christian University Charles Coody West Texas Intercollegiate Monday and Tuesday, Sept. 12-13.

Hodges takes over a men's team that returns five players from last year's team, including junior Paul Slaughter, who competed in the NCAA-II South Central Super Regional. WTAMU finished sixth at the Lone Star Conference Championships.

The women's team returns three players from last year's team that finished third at the LSC Championships. The Lady Buffs open the season Sept. 19-20 at the Northeastern State University Women's Golf Classic at Cobblestone Creek Country and Golf Club at Muskogee, Okla.

Easley, also an Amarillo native, becomes coach after a splendid three-year career for the Lady Buffs, in which she was a two-time All-American, competing in the National Championships twice in her three years at WTAMU, as well as receiving numerous academic honors.

This past May, she finished tied for 29th at the NCAA-II National Championships, her second trip to Nationals in three years. The Tascosa High School graduate received second-team NGCA All-American recognition last year and is a three-time first-team All-LSC honoree, including finishing 10th at this year's LSC Championships.

Easley was the Lady Buffs' top player all season with eight top-10 finishes, including two first-place finishes, one second and two third-place finishes throughout nine tournaments. Her best finishes were at the Subway Invitational and the NSU Women's Golf Classic.

Off the course, Easley was named to the first-team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District VI College Women's At-Large Team, as well as being named to the LSC All-Academic Team for the third straight season and was an NGCA All-American Scholar last year.

In addition to her coaching duties, Easley will be completing her history education degree and pursuing a master's degree in the same field.

"I'm very pleased that as Meredith is wrapping up her undergraduate work and beginning her master's, she has agreed to become the head coach for the women's program," Harris said.

"I'm really excited," Easley said, "I've decided in the last year that this is what I want to do for a career, and this is a great opportunity. By having split coaches, we will be able to focus more on recruiting and building a foundation of talent. Hopefully, I can take the team to a new level of success."

Easley feels that taking over the coaching reins fresh off her playing career will be advantage to her, and the team.

"I've had experience playing with our girls and against the girls they'll be golfing against and can offer them pointers and suggestions. I've also played all the courses that we will be playing and know where the trouble-spots are on the course and will give guidance to the team, as well as pointers in the mental aspect to help the team as best I can."

Hodges who has been an assistant golf professional since 1999, comes to WTAMU from Amarillo's Ross Rogers Golf Complex. He played on the TightLies Professional Tour as well as his assistant golf pro duties. He has also served as assistant golf pro at Amarillo's Tascosa Country Club, as well as Oakridge Country Club in Garland, Texas and Lakeland Village Golf and Country Club in Allyn, Wash.

Hodges, born and raised in Redmond, Wash., where his home course was Sahalee Country Club, which hosted the 1998 PGA Championship and the 2002 World Golf Championship-NEC Invitational and will host the 2008 U.S. Open Championship. Hodges attended the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Wash., for one year, before transferring to West Texas A&M University in 1996. In addition to his coaching duties, Hodges will be completing his marketing degree.

"We advertised for the men's position and selected Jeremy from numerous qualified applicants and we feel that with his local ties, he is a great fit to continue the success that the men's program achieved under Coach Borden," Harris said.

"I'm excited about my first coaching position," Hodges said. "While playing basketball growing up I was known as Coach Hodges on the court, so it's all coming to fruition with this job. Coaching has always been something I've wanted to do and I'm excited for this opportunity."

Hodges echoed Easley as far as having both programs benefit from the coaching split.

"My goal is to give our players as much personal attention that I can with the game intangibles, including course management, structure and fitness. Basically, we'll try to work smarter not harder and use our time as effective as possible in making this program continue its success."

-WT-