Of all head coaches currently at Cal State East Bay, Alan Sue has held such a role the longest among the group as he is in the 20^th year in that role, and 25^th year coaching overall with the Pioneers. Overseeing men's and women's golf, Sue has seen so much success with both teams, including 17 tournament championships as an NCAA Division II member, back-to-back appearances by the women's golf program in the NCAA Division II Championships and conference championships in the CalPac and CCAA just to name a few.
 
This season already, the men's golf program won its first three tournaments of the fall season and is ranked No. 9 nationally. And the culture instilled this season for each team is not just in the results on the course. "We want a culture of hard work, positivity and support.  Both teams have excelled to this point in these areas and we will continue to communicate the importance of these qualities throughout the year."
 
And Sue's success throughout many years of coaching comes with his ability to adapt. "I think the most important thing for a coach to be is adaptable, so yes I have [adapted to constant change].  My philosophy and values have remained the same over my 24 years at CSUEB.  If I coached and recruited in the same way that I did in my first few years, I don't think we would be as successful as we have been in recent years."
 
For the student-athletes Sue advocates for and mentors, golf alone is a tremendous time commitment considering the length of tournaments and constant travel that conflicts with classes. The long-time East Bay coach stresses the importance by holding his golfers to a high standard in the classroom. "Academics are the most important of all of the responsibilities that a student-athlete has.  I communicate this to the team throughout the year with constant reminders to keep up with their schoolwork and get ahead when they can.  If a student-athlete struggles in class, ultimately they will lose opportunities to compete as I would not feel comfortable with them missing so much class time."
 
With over 24 years of coaching for East Bay, success for Sue is measured in growth more than sustainability as evidenced in the recent accomplishments of the women's golf team's recent appearances in the NCAA Division II National Championship in 2023 and 2024. "It was amazing to see those two teams reach the NCAA Division II National Championship, but in my opinion, those appearances aren't the only thing that defines our success.  As I mentioned previously, growth is a big indicator of success for us.  In 2022 we had a very good team that could compete with 2023 and 2024 but unfortunately narrowly missed a National Championship appearance.  The growth I saw in those individuals and that team led me to feel that it was one of my most successful teams."