BALTIMORE — Coppin State University announced in early September it will launch its first-ever golf team next fall, marking a historic milestone for the Baltimore institution. The program recently signed its first athlete, creating excitement around the burgeoning team’s potential.
The university hired Elam Ruff as the men’s and women’s golf coach in mid-September. Ruff comes from Fairham College, a Division 2 program in Virginia, where he recruited the largest class in program history.
Coppin State University launches first-ever golf program, signs top international recruit
Coppin State launches first-ever golf program, signs top international recruit
“My grandfather introduced me to the game when I was young,” Ruff said. “I’ve been coaching about 8 years now. Kind of fell into coaching and then just enjoyed it and loved it.”
Ruff is focused on finding the right type of student-athletes for the new program.
“I’m looking for budding superstars on and off the golf course, kids that may have started the game late, but have the skill set that I’m looking for,” Ruff said.
The coach believes he found that superstar in the program’s first-ever men’s golf signee, Jevahn Sathasivam, the top-ranked junior golfer out of Sri Lanka.
“I got wind of him probably a week into me starting here and we just grew from like one Zoom call with just me and him and his dad and his mom. It just made sense. It just clicked right away,” Ruff said. “In the last two years, he’s won 8 tournaments. It’s kind of unheard of.”
For Ruff, being the head coach who brought in the program’s first signee holds special significance, especially securing an athlete of Sathasivam caliber.
“I’m grateful to have the backing I do from our administration, because like I said, we’re just getting started here. Not a lot of things are in place yet, but they’re like, ‘Man, we can do this,'” Ruff said.
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