Northwestern University Athletics
Steve Bailey Named Head Coach at Marquette University
7/27/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
July 27, 2010
EVANSTON, Ill. -- After five seasons with Northwestern during which the Wildcats won a combined four individual and team Big Ten titles while appearing twice at the NCAA National Championships, NU associate head coach Steve Bailey has accepted the head coaching position at Marquette University effective August 2.
"I'm thankful to Northwestern for giving me a chance, and I could not have asked for a better mentor in (head coach) Pat Goss," said Bailey. "Pat is a tremendous golf coach, but more importantly, he is a tremendous person. He has set the foundation for my coaching career and I'm very thankful for the opportunities given to me by Pat and the Northwestern administration."
"I could not be happier for Steve and Bethany on his accepting the head coaching position at Marquette," said Goss. "Steve has done a great job in his five years at Northwestern, earning his promotion to associate head coach the past two years. His efforts and success in recruiting are unmatched, and I know he will bring that same energy and enthusiasm to Marquette. I look forward to competing against him and following his success."
In his first season at Northwestern in 2005-06, Bailey played a key role in helping NU host a wildly successful Big Ten Championships at Conway Farms Golf Club in Lake Forest, Ill. The Wildcats won that 2006 conference team title while current PGA TOUR member Chris Wilson captured the individual crown and David Merkow was named Big Ten Player of the Year. Northwestern also qualified for the NCAA National Championships that year.
Bailey was promoted to associate head coach prior to the 2008-09 campaign, taking on added responsibility in the overall administration of the program while also serving as Tournament Director for NU's Windon Memorial Classic. Bailey's primary role with the Wildcats always was recruiting, a skill he excelled at for NU. He successfully signed six Junior All-Americans and state champions from Arizona, California and Ohio.
Bailey's 2008-09 freshman class of Eric Chun and Sam Chien was ranked in the top-10 in the nation by Golfweek, with Chun immediately winning the 2009 Big Ten championship and earning Freshman of the Year honors from the conference. NU also returned to the NCAA National Championships in 2009 before junior David Lipsky was crowned Big Ten champ in 2010.
Chun would go on to qualify for the 139th playing of The Open Championship at St. Andrews in July of 2010, and he selected Bailey to be his caddie for his first-career Major Championship. Bailey helped Chun fire an opening-round 1-under 71 to challenge the cut, though he ultimately fell one stroke short of the weekend.
Bailey leaves the Wildcats in tremendous shape after signing another highly touted incoming 2010-11 freshman class of Jack Perry and Brad Shigezawa. The pair joins a roster that includes four current members who have either been named GCAA PING All-Region selections or won medalist honors for the Wildcats in the past two seasons.
