Ember Holloway knows there are great things happening in the community, from the Masters Tournament and the Augusta National Women’s Amateur to the success of the Augusta University golf program, and she wants to continue to contribute.

Holloway becomes the eighth head coach in women’s golf history, replacing two-time Southland Conference Coach of the Year Caroline Haase-Hegg, who resigned in May after nine years.
Holloway and Haase-Hegg have a close bond, as they were both assistants under legendary Purdue University coach Devon Brouse. Haase-Hegg led the women to seven NCAA Regionals and their only NCAA Championship appearance in 2023. Holloway knows she has big shoes to fill this season and is excited to be part of the Jaguars’ legacy.

“I’m a huge fan of Caroline. … She’s a great person and coach and I feel blessed to have the opportunity to follow her example and build on her legacy and what she’s accomplished,” said Holloway, who previously served as an assistant coach for the University of Georgia women’s golf program.

“There has been so much success here and it’s a place where you can improve your game and achieve so many great things. I’m really excited about the opportunity to come in here, build on what we’ve achieved and continue this great success.”

At UGA, Holloway coached three All-Americans, three All-Southeastern Conference golfers and four individual titleholders. She also had a standout collegiate golf career at the University of Illinois from 2010-14, where she became the first Illini golfer to participate in three NCAA Regionals and held the program’s lowest stroke average in 2013 and 2014. She was selected to the All-Big Ten second team her senior year after leading Illinois individually in six of 11 tournaments.

She also qualified for two U.S. Women’s Amateurs and three U.S. Public Links Amateurs before turning professional and competing in 21 Symetra Tour events and 18 Cactus Tour events.
“It became clear early on in our search that Ember was not only a great coach, but also a perfect fit for our campus and community,” Athletic Director Ryan Erlacher said in a press release. “Our women’s golf position was highly sought after and there was a tremendous applicant pool. Ember embodied everything we wanted in our next coach and we have no doubt she will continue the commitment to excellence that Coach Caroline Hegg established.”

Holloway said her coaching style is a “happy middle ground,” a blend of the various experiences she’s had during her own playing career and the coaches who have mentored her. She believes her experiences help her build a relationship with players, which in turn allows her to draw from the past to mentor the future of the sport.

“Knowing what their challenges and obligations are, like tests and homework … just being able to share those experiences with these young women and just being able to pass on that knowledge and expertise,” she said. “That’s something I look forward to.”

“Now that I’m taking on a different role, it’s going to be a little different than it was in years past as an assistant. As a head coach, you make the final decisions, but I’m excited to be a mentor. I’m excited to be someone that helps them grow not only as golfers, but as people, as human beings. I’m excited to be a part of their lives and build that relationship with them.”

Holloway is thankful her team has a competition schedule ahead of them. They will start the year with three events in September: the Badger Invitational in Madison, Wisconsin from September 8-10; the Lady Paladin Invitational in Greenville, South Carolina from September 20-22; and the Windy City Invitational in Wilmette, Illinois from September 30-October 1. They will finish the fall at The Southern in Savannah, Georgia from October 14-15.

She said the opportunity to compete against some of the best teams in the country all year long, rather than having to wait until the end, will benefit them as they try to maintain their dominance in the conference tournament with an eye on the postseason.

She only feels pressure because she is a competitive person and knows what she wants to achieve and what she wants the team to achieve.

“There will be pressure and expectations, but I think everything that’s going on here, the girls having access to our facilities and the support of the community, they’re well prepared for us to continue doing what they’ve been doing. I have high expectations of myself and I’ll have high expectations of our team as well.”

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