GORHAM, Maine – Erin Holmes has been named the head coach of the University of Southern Maine women's golf team after previously serving as an assistant coach for the past two seasons. Holmes takes over for Brian Bickford '87, who will remain as head coach of the USM men's team.
 
"We are very excited to have Erin joining Huskies' Athletics as our head women's golf coach," said Director of Athletics & Recreation, John Sutyak. "Erin did fantastic work in connecting with our team and serving as a tremendous mentor these past few seasons. Couple that with her pedigree as one of the top players in Maine and I believe we have a solid foundation to continue moving our women's program forward and competing for Little East Conference (LEC) championships."
 
Holmes, a former NCAA Division I golfer at Bucknell University, joined the Huskies' staff ahead of the team's inaugural season in 2024. After a solid first season, the program took a big step forward this past fall by finishing third at the inaugural LEC Women's Golf Championship led by senior Remy Levin (Steep Falls, Maine/Bonny Eagle), who won the event and was named the conference Player of the Year. Junior Belle Steeves (South Paris, Maine/Oxford Hills) also earned All-Little East honors by placing 10th to earn second team honors. Levin also placed sixth at the 2025 New England Intercollegiate Golf Association Women's Golf Championship to earn NEIGA All-New England honors.
 
"Having served as the assistant coach with this program for the last two seasons, I've had the privilege of watching this program stand up and provide opportunities for young women. Golf has been a central part of my life since childhood and I owe much of my own success and passion for this sport to my past coaches and mentors," said Holmes. "I am honored to now be stepping into that same role for future generations of women golfers in the same community I learned in."
 
Holmes played four seasons of varsity golf at Bucknell and served as team captain as a senior. A four-time member of the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll and a 2019 Women's Golf Coaches Association (WGCA) All-American Scholar, she graduated from Bucknell's Freeman College of Management with a degree in Business Administration - Marketing and Communications.
 
A former high school state champion at Greely High School, Holmes is still active in the Maine amateur golf scene and won the 2023 Maine Women's Amateur Championship. She also was the runner-up in 2025 and placed third in both 2022 and 2024.