George Fox University

MaryJo McCloskey is a seven-time NCAA Division III West Region Coach of the Year and a ten-time Northwest Conference Coach of the Year. In the span of her 18 seasons, McCloskey has turned a non-existent George Fox University program into one of the most dominant in the country with one national championship and seven additional NCAA trophies in 11 seasons, 14 consecutive top-10 finishes nationally and 14 straight Northwest Conference titles.

During the 2024 NCAA National Championship tournament, the Bruins were in 9th place heading into the final round. That’s when the team caught fire and shot a NCAA record low team round (in NCAA Division III Championship history) with a 1-under 287 team score. On that day, the team jumped from 9th to 4th place, finishing for the 8th time on the podium and receiving another NCAA trophy!  

During that same final round, Alison Takamiya shot a 2-under par round to move from 4th to becoming medalist and the second player in George Fox history to win a National Individual title in women’s golf.  Additionally, Liana Brown shot a 4-under 68 to tie the NCAA single individual round scoring record in the Championship. Takamiya, Toole and Brown were all named All-Americans under McCloskey’s direction. 

In 2023, the Bruins won their first NCAA title for Women’s Golf, the fourth in George Fox Athletics history, joining baseball (2004), women’s basketball (2009), and women’s track and field (2018). 

Battling through unplayable conditions on one of the holes that eventually led to the cancelation of the third round, the Bruins finished five strokes ahead of Washington University St. Louis to become just the third D-III women’s golf program west of the Mississippi and the first D-III golf program in the Pacific Northwest to win a NCAA Division III Championship. 

McCloskey was recently named the first Empowering Women in Coaching award honoree by Sports Oregon. In 18 seasons, the program has won 99 tournaments and has been recognized in five separate seasons as the top-ranked team in the nation. In 2014, the team was recognized by the Oregon Golf Association for its work in the community. 

Besides the NCAA National Championship, the team also boasts two NCAA National Champions, two National Players of the Year, a Juli Inkster award-winner, two NCAA Freshman Player of the Year honorees, 37 WGCA All Americans, 35 WGCA All Region team members, 11 NWC Player of the Year honorees and 56 All NWC players. McCloskey is proud that the program has produced 24 WGCA All-American scholar winners as well. Players from the program have qualified for the US Women’s Amateur as well as the LPGA Portland Classic. 

Coach McCloskey joined the Bruin staff in the spring of 2006 after building a strong women’s team at Lewis & Clark College, where she started as a volunteer coach and then became the Head Coach the following year. She produced a winning program and had players win both conference and National awards. 

“In the end, it’s never been about the awards though,” says Coach McCloskey. “For me, it is all about the journey and helping young women find their potential. My passion is to help student-athletes grow stronger and to realize that anything is possible with a positive mindset, strong work ethic and a passionate desire to learn. I’m very proud of all of our players who have graduated from George Fox and gone on to do great things and make a difference in the world.”  

A graduate of St. Mary’s Academy in Portland, OR where she played varsity golf for four years, McCloskey went on to play in the collegiate ranks at the University of Oregon.  McCloskey holds a Bachelor of Arts in Marketing from the University of Oregon and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Portland.  

McCloskey has served on several boards including the LPGA Portland Classic Board as well as 12 years on the First Tee of Portland/Campbell Course Board of Directors. She continues to help out as a volunteer for both organizations. She also has served two terms on the Board for the Women Golf Coaches Association (WGCA) and also served several years on the NCAA Division III Golf Championship Selection Committee. Currently, she is a part of the Women’s Golf Coaches Association (WGCA) mentorship program.

McCloskey is also an author and published her first book in November of 2023, When Girls Win about her 20+ year journey as a collegiate women’s golf coach and all the mental toughness tips she has learned along the way.   

McCloskey and her husband Rick are both avid golfers and Rick helps the team as a volunteer assistant coach.