Introducing the new women's head golf coach: Tom Beidleman

CMB_Golf_01 — Charlotte Bodak/Staff Photographer Recently hired women's golf head coach Tom Beidleman talks about what his plans are for the future of women's golf for Central Michigan University Thursday afternoon in the McGuirk Arena Press Room.

Tom Beidleman is the man to lead Central Michigan women's golf into competition in the 2014-15 fall academic season after the program ceased competition in 1982.

On Dec. 6, 2012, the CMU Board of Trustees announced that women's golf, along with women's lacrosse, would be added to CMU's already 14 Division I programs.

The first step to the new program is naming the head coach, and CMU Director of Athletics Dave Heeke did that Thursday.

“Tom has been successful at every level. He was a successful coach at the collegiate level for a number of years. He is very actively involved in golf," Heeke said. "At the same time, he is aligned with our values and principles ... we are focused on our student-athletes and their experiences, and we will bring great pride to our university.”

Beidleman, a 1987 Ferris State alum, has had 10 years of experience coaching golf before taking the job with the Chippewas. He has signed a five-year contract that will pay him $48,000 per year.

“I would like to thank everyone on the search committee for giving me the opportunity to stand here today,” Beidleman said. “This is a tremendous honor and one that I really do appreciate. I am excited to get started."

He was a head coach at Loyola (Md.) men's golf where he was named three-time Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Coach of the Year in 2002, 2003 and 2009.

In that time, he lead his team to six MAAC titles with an overall record of 78-5 while winning 20 team regular-season titles and 15 individual titles.

His athletes found success in the classroom as well, averaging a 3.25 GPA and the 2008 MAAC Male Student-Athlete of the Year.

"It won't be long before we see a program that will achieve our goals of academic and athletic excellence and creates excitement and support from the community as well as a championship experience for all of our student-athletes,” Beidleman said.

Beidleman earned a degree in business and professional golf management in 1987 from Ferris State in Big Rapids. He has been a member of the PGA of America since 1992 and the Golf Coaches Association of America since 2001.

The native of Whitehall, Penn., served as the golf pro at many clubs in the northeast and was most recently the Director of Instruction at Mount Pleasant Country Club.