Women’s athletics have changed in the past 20 years, but ISU women’s golf coach Julie Manning has stayed the same energetic person that she was when she competed for the Cyclones from 1978 to 1982.

“You just know in visiting with Julie, she’s an Iowa Stater through and through,” said Elaine Hieber, former athletic department administrator. “She’s a wonderful ambassador to the school and to the community.”

Manning has gone through four assistants and hundreds of players in her 20 years as head coach. She said she still keeps in contact with about 85 percent of her former golfers and feels especially proud of the ones who continue in the field, either playing, coaching or teaching.

“As a coach, you have a real special relationship with the student-athlete,” Manning said. “I am more of a cheerleader and a confidant; I can get closer to my players than some other coaches can, because I’m with them all year long.”

Born in Granger, Manning came to Ames to play golf under Joan Gearhart. She graduated in 1983 and accepted a position as the assistant golf pro at Veenker golf course in 1984. She quickly became the head pro and clubhouse manager, and she became the women’s head coach in 1985, when Gearhart had family problems.

“Julie was always a steady player and gave steady leadership. There was just something about her that you knew it was the right decision,” Hieber said.

Manning said she doesn’t know if a person is ever prepared for taking on that type of responsibility.

“My senior on that team was only two years younger than me,” Manning said.

Manning credits Hieber, among others, as being a mentor to her in those first years.

Now Manning gets the chance to mentor others.

Missy Ringler, formerly Missy Arthur, is one person who has relied on Manning in the form of advice, references and just an ear to listen. Ringler has been the women’s golf coach at UNLV for the last three years.

“She helped mold people into better golfers and better people,” Ringler said. “She has helped me from the beginning of my career as an assistant coach at Washington State to my job here.”

Aside from the team awards, which include a Big Eight Conference championship in 1993, Manning was voted conference coach of the year three times. Most recently, she was inducted to the National Golf Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2003, joining Gearhart, who was elected in 1996.

Manning said she is most proud of her teams — especially the 1993 team, which included Ringler, Beth Bader and Shelley Finnestad.

“They were just an excellent team,” Manning said. “This team I have now reminds me of them in a lot of ways, though, especially the team chemistry.”

Golf isn’t Manning’s only area of expertise — she has taken a new role in the ISU athletic administration. Manning was on the administrative team that sent the football team to its first bowl game in years and was the tournament director for the NCAA Women’s Basketball Regionals when it came to Hilton Coliseum in 2002.

“[Former athletic director] Gene Smith had just taken a job with Arizona State University, and Julie was key in getting the team on the road and the whole thing planned,” Hieber said.

Manning still gets excited when talking about her upcoming tournaments or the new class of recruits she is showing around campus.

“Female athletes are so much better every year, and financial resources have been dramatically upgraded since even five, 10 years ago,” Manning said. “It all goes back to Title IX, and we are reaping the benefits of past women who had forethought.”

Even after 20 years, Manning doesn’t plan on going anywhere soon. She has a team now that she thinks can make waves in the Big 12, a freshman class that will be a force in the near future, and a solid class of recruits coming in. She seems to be settled in.