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SEE IT BEav IT: Kathleen Takaishi

Oct 14, 2022

The institutional support she received as a standout golfer at Oregon State has helped Kathleen Takaishi to remain in the center of the fairway in her personal and professional life.

"The thing I remember most is how the athletic department was a family away from my family," said Takaishi, who recently finished her ninth season as the head women's golf coach at the University of Nevada.

"I could not have asked for a better coach than Rise Alexander. She pushed me every day to be better person and golfer. She was so much fun to be around.

"I also had amazing support from academic services and the athletic training staff. Sandy Sandago was our athletic trainer and is an amazing person. He not only helped on the medical side but also helped me grow and deal with challenges along the way.

"I would be remiss to not mention Sean Arey the head pro at Trysting Tree Golf Club. Sean and his staff were very accommodating and would offer help whenever we needed it.  

"I had the total package to be successful."

And successful she was. The San Bernadino, Calif., native came to Corvallis in Sept., 1994, and quickly established herself as one of the greatest golfers in school history.

Takaishi advanced to the NCAA regionals every year and played in the NCAA Championships in 1998 and 1999. She led the Beavers in scoring all four years, posted a school-record 16 top-10 finishes and earned All-American honors in 1998.

"I absolutely loved my time at OSU," she said. "I met so many amazing people and still keep in touch with many of my teammates. Corvallis was the perfect setting for me to develop as a golfer and a person.

"The best things about being an athlete were competing at a high level, traveling to different parts of the country and the lifelong friendships I made with those on my team and in the community and with golfers on other teams."

Takaishi is being showcased in conjunction with OSU's SEE IT, BEav IT initiative, marking the 50th anniversary of Title IX. It will focus on celebrating the stories of OSU prominent women's athletes and athletics.

"Title IX set the stage for important growth, and we are grateful to all of the pioneers of women's athletics who helped create opportunities for our current generation of student-athletes," said OSU Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Scott Barnes.
 
"We look forward to sharing the stories of some of our outstanding past and present female student-athletes, coaches and staff members throughout the 2022-23 year."

After graduating from OSU in 1999, Takaishi played professionally for three years on the Players West Tour, US Challenge Tour and the Futures Tour. She then began coaching at UC Riverside in 2002. She was an assistant at OSU from 2004-2007, and became the Portland State head coach in 2008.

A two-time Big Sky Conference Coach of the Year at PSU, she led the Vikings to three BSC titles and NCAA regional berths. She was hired at Nevada prior to the 2013-14 season.

"I love Reno!" she said. "When I am not coaching, I am either riding my gravel or mountain bike during the summer or skiing during the winter."

A 1994 graduate of Aquinas High School in San Bernardino, she was inducted into the school's Hall of Fame in Oct., 2015.