EUGENE, Ore. – Bushnell University announces the hiring of Nathan Wiedenmann, who will serve as the Director of Golf and Men’s Head Coach for the Beacons.
Athletic Director Corey Anderson said, “I feel incredibly blessed to have someone like Nathan coming on board to lead our golf program. He is first-and-foremost a true ‘Beacon’ and he seriously loves Bushnell University and our golf program. I am excited for what he will bring to Bushnell golf as we move forward together into this next phase. Nathan’s energy and excitement are contagious and will lead into big things for all involved.”
Wiedenmann comes to the Beacons with extensive experience in and around golf spanning from time as a club pro at Illahe Hills Country Club and Pebble Beach Golf Links through his current tenure as the Boys and Girls Head Coach at Thurston High School.
Coach Wiedenmann studied golf instruction under Laird Smail, one of America’s top 100 golf instructors and the Director of Instruction at the Pebble Beach Golf Academy. Wiedenmann was a PGA Assistant Golf Professional at Pebble Beach from 2000-2001.
Most recently, Wiedenmann has served as the Director of Golf at Thurston High since 2019, earning seven OSAA State Championship appearances over an eight-year stretch. His teams have earned four straight district championships, four top-four finishes at the OSAA State Championship, and he has coached two individual state champions.
“I would like to thank the University and it’s entire team for trusting me with this opportunity,” said Wiedenmann. “Specifically, Corey Anderson, Jocelyn Hubbs, Keith Potter, and President Joe Womack for their leadership and vision. I have been fortunate to have the game of golf as an integral part of my life, and I am excited to utilize my experiences to encourage and cultivate a successful student-athlete experience at Bushnell. My goal is to be in stewardship of the resources the Lord has blessed me with and to lead with a servant heart. We have an incredible opportunity with our student-athletes to compete at a high level athletically, grow spiritually, and stretch ourselves to impact the world in a positive way.”
A respected businessman in the greater Eugene-Springfield community, Wiedenmann is the founder and president of Stella Lighting Inc. which he started in 2012. He has also been an owner and developer at Elkhorn Valley Golf Club, and was an instrumental piece in the vision casting and launching of Bushnell’s Player Development Center at Pine Ridge Golf Course.
He attended then-Northwest Christian College as an undergrad, before eventually graduating from the University of Oregon School of Architecture and Allied Arts in 2009 with a Bachelor of Science in Policy, Planning, and Management. A man with deep ties to the Bushnell community, he met his wife of 29 years, Stacy (Norris), at NCC, who earned her Master’s degree in education from Northwest Christian University. Their daughter Shelby earned her master’s degree from Bushnell. They are the parents of two current students at Bushnell and have three more children at home.
“We are very fortunate to have Nathan already in the area and attached to our golf program,” said Anderson. “He has been a fixture of support and friendship from the time I first met him two years ago, and he brings valued Bushnell experience from his time as a student and his most recent role as a parent within the Bushnell men’s golf program.”
Wiedenmann replaces Larry Watts who stepped down in May after seven seasons at the helm of the program. He said, “I want to thank Coach Watts for his leadership and impact on the program for the past seven years. His impact was significant and he will always be valued as we continue to grow the program.”