With the Idaho Vandals’ women’s golf team expected to hit the course next week for practice, all that was missing was a head coach. After the departure of former head coach Stephanie Young, who left the Vandals to take the head coach job at the University of Xavier, the Vandal Athletic Department announced on Monday that they had named Washington State assistant coach Julia Goodson as head coach for her first head coaching job.
“I am beyond excited and honored to be the next head women’s golf coach at the University of Idaho,” Goodson said in a press release. “Thank you to Terry Gawlik, Garrett Haldeman and the hiring committee for this opportunity and for their belief in me. I look forward to representing a university that values student-athlete experience and prioritizes excellence both in the classroom and on the golf course. I can’t wait to be a part of the strong Vandal community and I’m eager to lead this program towards even more success.”
A native of Hudson, Ohio, Goodson comes to the Vandals after being an assistant for two years with the Cougars and a year before that at her alma mater, East Tennessee State.
Goodson was a Division I golfer at Kent State for three years before transferring to East Tennessee State for her senior season. In her lone season at East Tennessee State, Goodson helped lead the Buccaneers to a Southern Championship, earning SoCon All-Conference honors in the process.
Goodson will be in charge of the Vandals, who are coming off a pretty good season as they finished fifth at the Big Sky Conference Championship in 2024-25. They completed the tournament with a total score of 887 (+35). They also won the Tri-State Invitational as they chase the Big Sky championship next season.
Despite Goodson’s lack of head coaching experience, the Vandal Athletic Department believes in her ability and experience as a former golfer to continue the Vandals’ success and get the program to the next level under her leadership.
“We are thrilled to welcome Julia to lead our women’s golf program,” Senior Associate Athletic Director and golf sport supervisor Garrett Haldeman said in a press release. “Her experience on the Palouse gives her valuable insight into our program and the region where she will recruit and coach. Her experience as a player at two championship programs gives her experience in what an elite mid-major program looks like. We feel that her background and personality will fit well into our institutional culture.”
The women’s golf team will tee up for the first time on Sept. 15 at the Yellowstone intercollegiate tournament in Bozeman, Montana.
Jayden Barfuss can be reached at [email protected].