Kathleen Takaishi was named the women’s golf coach at Portland State University on February 4, 2008, and it took her little time to make her mark on the program. The Vikings won the Big Sky Championship in April of that year, advancing to the NCAA West Regional Championship. Two years later, the Vikings won the Big Sky title again, upsetting Northern Arizona and Sacramento State in the 2010 Championship. Takaishi was named Big Sky Conference Coach of the Year at the end of the season.
Then, in 2011, Takaishi led her team to a third title in four seasons and earned her second straight Big Sky Coach of the Year honor. It was a remarkable spring for the Vikings as they reeled off three straight tournament championships including the UC Irvine Anteater Invitational, the Wyoming Cowgirl Classic and the Big Sky Championship.
In 2012-13, Takaishi's team made a major transition, with two freshmen and two sophomores in the starting lineup with long-time star Britney Yada. But the turnover was almost seemless. The Vikings went on to compile the second-best scoring average in school history (308.1), produce the Big Sky Player of the Year (A Ram Choi), and finish second at the Big Sky Championship depsite producing the third-best tournament score in school history (886).
Now, after six seasons at the helm of the Viking program, Takaishi holds three Big Sky Conference Championship trophies, two Big Sky Coach of the Year honors and has produced the most talented golfers in Viking history.
“Kathleen has compiled an amazing record of success in her tenure as Head Coach,” said Vikings’ Athletics Director Torre Chisholm. “She has demonstrated outstanding skill at getting the most from her student-athletes in the biggest moments. In doing so, she has clearly established PSU as the preeminent golf program in the Big Sky Conference.”
Despite winning three Big Sky titles, Takaishi and her Vikings have done it an underdog role every time. In 2008, PSU was picked to place fifth in the Big Sky Conference preseason poll. But, the Vikings took the lead on day two of the Big Sky Championship and maintained it, defeating Northern Arizona by two shots and conference favorite Eastern Washington by three shots. Viking Hannah Bews also won the individual title for the Vikings.
In 2010, the Vikings followed a similar scenario after being picked to place fourth in the conference. PSU battled Northern Arizona at the top of the pack through three days of the Championship. Trailing the Lumberjacks by two shots with three holes to play, the Vikings put on a late charge to win by two over Sacramento State and four over NAU.
Once again, in 2011, the Vikings were picked to place second in the Big Sky behind Northern Arizona. But, PSU’s amazing run during the spring had most believing they would capture another title. And they did, leading from wire-to-wire to produce an 11-stroke victory with a Big Sky Championship Tournament record 880 score. Sophomore Britney Yada won the individual title with a school and Big Sky record, six-under par 210 total.
Takaishi’s 2010 Coach of the Year honor was well-earned. Portland State’s 2009-10 campaign was its best ever - despite having top returning player Stephanie Johns for only half the season due to injury. The Vikings established a new team scoring record (310.1), while freshman Britney Yada broke the school record for scoring average (76.37) and Johns finished her two seasons at PSU with the best career scoring average (77.25). PSU was also 23-4 in head-to-head scoring against other Big Sky Conference teams throughout the season.
That best-ever season lasted just one year. With three tournament titles, eight straight top-four finishes and a 303.4 scoring average in 2010-11, the Vikings reestablished greatness at PSU. Three Vikings - Britney Yada, Lauren Taylor and Tiffany Schoning - were first team All-Big Sky Conference selections. Kalyn Dodge earned second team honors. Taylor was the Freshman of the Year. Yada, Taylor and Schoning all won two tournaments each. Yada set new season (75.51) and career (76.04) scoring records. Even senior Alexia Brown played the best golf of her career, placing sixth in the tournament. Those achievements meant a second Coach of the Year award for Takaishi.
The 2012-13 squad produced five players with scoring averages in the 70s. The best was Choi, whose 74.73 scoring average broke Britney Yada's school record.
PSU has shattered virtually every scoring record in the book under Takaishi. Now with three titles in six seasons under Takaishi, and six (with six trips to the NCAAs) in the last 11 years, Portland State can claim the mantle of the league’s dominant program.
Six seasons into her tenure at Portland State, Takaishi has coached 59 events, winning six and having 26 top-seven finishes. The Vikings have also had nine medalists, 20 Big Sky Golfers of the Week, 11 All-Conference players and 16 Academic All-Conference honors over the past six years. PSU is 149-35 in head-to-head scoring against Big Sky Conference teams in all tournaments since Takaishi took over the program.
BACKGROUND
Takaishi brought six years experience as a collegiate assistant coach and three years as a professional golfer to the Viking program. She had been the Oregon State women’s assistant coach since February 2004. Prior to that, she worked for a season-and-a-half as the men’s and women’s assistant at UC Riverside.
Takaishi was an All-American golfer at Oregon State, lettering four times between 1995 and 1999. She earned All-American honors with a 25th place finish at the 1998 National Championship Tournament. Takaishi holds all of OSU’s records, including single-season scoring average (75.97 in 1997-98), career scoring average (77.24), top-10 finishes in a season (6) and in a career (16), total rounds played (130) and low 54-hole total (213). Takaishi also holds the women’s course record at Trysting Tree Golf Club in Corvallis, having shot 64 from the white tees.
She is a two-time winner of the Oregon Women’s Amateur Championship, taking titles in 1997 (Willamette Valley CC) and 1998 (Columbia Edgewater).
Takaishi graduated from Oregon State in 1999 with a degree in Psychology. She competed professionally on the Futures Tour for three seasons. In addition, Takaishi has golf course operations experience and served as a golf class instructor at UC Riverside. She also served as the Director of Operations for the 2005 NCAA Women’s Golf Championships, hosted by Oregon State, at Sunriver.
Takaishi took over a Viking program that had finished third or better in the Big Sky Conference in six of the previous seven seasons. Portland State also won Big Sky titles in 2003, 2004 and 2005.
THE KATHLEEN TAKAISHI FILE
6th year as Head Coach
Hometown: San Bernardino, CA
Alma Mater: Oregon State, 1999, Psychology
Date of Birth: January 10, 1976
Professional: Futures Tour, 1999-2002
COACHING EXPERIENCE
2008-13 Portland State, Head Coach
2004-08 Oregon State, Assistant Coach
2002-04 UC Riverside, Assistant Coach
The Vikings Under Kathleen Takaishi, 2008-11
• 2008, 2010, 2011 Big Sky Conference Champions
• Six Tournament Titles
• Nine Tournament Medalists
• 11 All-Big Sky Conference players
• 20 Big Sky Conference Player of the Week honors
• 16 Academic All-Big Sky Conference awards
• 149-35 record in head-to-head scoring against Big Sky schools
• Two-time Big Sky Conference Coach of the Year
TAKAISHI'S COACHING RECORD
|
Year |
Big Sky Finish |
NCAA Regional |
Scoring Average |
vs. the Big Sky |
Notes |
|
2007-08 |
1st |
20th |
316.8 |
13-2 |
took over during spring season |
|
2008-09 |
5th |
|
314.7 |
25-12 |
|
|
2009-10 |
1st |
20th |
310.1 |
23-4 |
Big Sky Coach of the Year |
|
2010-11 |
1st |
20th |
303.4 |
30-1 |
Big Sky Coach of the Year |
|
2011-12 |
5th |
|
313.9 |
27-12 |
|
|
2012-13 |
2nd |
|
308.1 |
31-4 |
|
