Rebels enlist help of former Iowa State aide.

July 30, 2003

LAS VEGAS - Former Iowa State assistant golf coach Eric Toomey has been hired as the assistant coach for women's golf at UNLV, head coach Missy Ringler announced Wednesday.

Toomey, 27, who played for Ringler while she was a coach at Washington State, has spent the last two years working as an assistant golf professional at El Conquistador Country Club.

"We are fortunate to find someone with the experience Eric has," Ringler said. "Not often does a program get an assistant coach who has played college golf at a high level, spent time coaching at another school, and been on the teaching side of the business. I look forward to having him help us grow the program."

The Snohomish, Wash., native, transferred from Nevada, Reno to Washington State and earned three letters in golf for the Cougars and served as the team captain before earning his bachelor's degree in humanities in 2000.

Toomey landed his first coaching position as the men's and women's assistant at Iowa State and spent just two seasons in Ames before heading to Tucson.

Toomey will be involved in all of the day-to-day activities with the program.

The Rebels return four starters and eight letterwinners from last year's squad that finished the year ranked 32nd by Golfweek and placed 11th at the NCAA West Regional. They will open the 2003-04 season on Sept. 15, 2003, at the Northwest Invite in Sunriver, Ore.