HONOLULU – Former University of Hawai'i assistant coach and current UC Irvine head coach Julie Brooks has been named the new women's golf head coach of the Rainbow Wahine, Athletics Director David Matlin announced.
 
"We're excited to welcome back home Julie Brooks as our new women's golf head coach", Matlin said. "With a proven track record of success and her ties to the islands, it was an easy decision and one that we feel will help keep our women's golf program heading in the right direction. Coach Brooks has led her teams to NCAA Regional and Championship appearances and knows what it takes to get to the next level. With a young squad returning that won a share of the Big West Championship last year, the future is bright for our Rainbow Wahine."
 
The three-time Big West Coach of the Year takes over the program after coaching the Anteaters for 16 seasons and two conference titles, two NCAA Championship appearances, and four NCAA Regionals. She is the 14^th head coach in UH women's golf history.
 
"This is a bittersweet moment for me," Brooks said. "I have loved my time at UC Irvine and have such great memories with my players. The opportunity to move home and coach the University of Hawai'i is a dream come true. The University of Hawai'i has a rich golf tradition and I'm looking forward to continue moving the program forward athletically and academically. I would like to thank David Matlin for this opportunity."
 
The Hawai'i native was an assistant for UH from 2004-06 under head coach Ashley Biffle, helping the Rainbow Wahine to a pair of Top 90 national rankings, including No. 85 in 2005-06, which at the time was the second highest in program history.
 
After being hired as UCI's head coach in 2006, Brooks led the Anteaters to conference titles in each of her first two seasons and was named coach of the year both years. UCI qualified for the NCAA Regionals in her first four seasons and advanced to the NCAA Championship in 2007 and 2009, finishing 19^th and 22^nd, respectively. Brooks was also named co-coach of the year in 2013.
 
At UCI, Brooks coached Kim Lorenzana, who earned medalist honors at the 2008 Big West Championship and 2009 Big West Golfer of the Year Jane Chin. In addition, two of her golfers earned Big West Freshman of the Year honors – Patty Chawalitemetha in 2007 and Ronnie Valerio in 2011. During her tenure, her teams produced 35 all-conference honors.
 
Prior to joining Biffle's staff at UH, Brooks was as a volunteer assistant at Cal from 2000-02, where she helped the Golden Bears to a pair of NCAA Championship appearances. She also previously worked for Cooke Island Distributors, Hawai'i's distributor of Callaway Golf, and was a professional at the O'ahu Country Club, Burning Tree Country Club and Elmwood Country Club.

Brooks has served on the NCAA Division I Women's Golf Committee and is a former member of the LPGA Teaching and Club Pro Division
 
After graduating from Punahou School in Honolulu, Brooks played collegiate golf at the University of Arizona from 1986-88 before turning professional in 1989, where she competed on the Futures Tour for three seasons. She received a master's degree in coaching and athletic administration from Concordia University and a bachelor's in history from Hawaii Pacific University.
 
Brooks Coaching History
Year                School        
2022-               Hawai'i, Head Coach
2006-22           UC Irvine, Head Coach        
2004-06           Hawai'i, Assistant Coach
2000-02           California, Volunteer Coach