This Kansas university is fielding a men's golf team for the first time in 10 years

The Pittsburg State men’s golf team played its first college tournament in a decade Monday.

The Gorillas opened their 2024-25 season at “The Mule” in Warrensburg, Missouri, hosted by the University of Central Missouri.

Pittsburg State, located in Pittsburg, Kansas, suspended the golf program following the 2013-14 season, but is back this fall, led by head coach and alum Nick Long.

“I am excited, along with the players, to open the season and play outside competition,” said Long, who played for the Gorillas from 2000-03.

Pittsburg State is launching a women’s team ahead of the 2025-26 season. Long will also be the head coach of the women’s team.

In 2014, PSU athletic director Jim Johnson said, “This was not a quick and easy decision to make as an institution. There was a large collective effort and careful study placed on the financial and staffing perspectives of continuing the golf program. At the end of the day, we realized this was the proper direction to take at this time.”

Fast forward January of 2024.

“This is another exciting day at Pittsburg State,” Johnson said. “When we made the difficult decision to suspend the men’s golf program in 2014, I was confident this day would come. It was simply a matter of time to take all the necessary steps to re-launch the program with the resources for success. Not only are we confident we have accomplished that goal, but we believe we are ready to begin the process to launch a women’s program as well.”