Colorado State University Athletics
Men's Golf
- Title:
- Head Coach
- Phone:
- (970) 491-2946
Christian Newton, a 19-year coaching veteran, is starting his 10th season as the Colorado State men’s golf head coach in 2021-22. Newton was hired Aug. 21, 2012 as the third coach in program history.
In the pandemic-shortened season in 2019-20, the Rams had significant success on the course, winning three consecutive tournaments, including the prestigious Jerry Pate National Intercollegiate in Alabama. The Rams finished the year ranked 19th in the Bushnell Golfweek Coaches Poll and earned numerous individual recognitions. AJ Ott and Davis Bryant became just the fourth and fifth All-Americans in program history and were joined on the All-District and All-Mountain West squads by Parathakorn Suyasri. Newton is also giving back to the game he loves as, in the summer of 2020, Newton was voted by his peers to a 10-year term on the Golf Coaches Association National Advisory Board, beginning his service as third vice-president for two years in 2020-21.
Newton has led CSU to one of its most successful three year spans in program history from 2016-19, with three consecutive Mountain West runner-up finishes, the best three-year performance ever for the Rams. In earning 2018 Mountain West Coach of the Year honors, Newton led CSU to its ranking of No. 40 according to Golfweek and No. 44 according to Golfstat and its first NCAA Regionals berth under his leadership and as a team since 2012. This year, the Rams have again matched that with another NCAA Regionals berth, two team tournament titles, seven top-five finishes, a No. 41 ranking in Golfstat and No. 43 in Golfweek.
In his eight years in Fort Collins, Newton has led the Rams to five of the top 16 national rankings in program history (current Kansas head coach Jamie Bermel has the other 11). He has also guided the team to 11 team tournament titles over the past six seasons, including three during the abbreviated 2019-20 season. His team also recorded a school-record 24 eagles in 2015-16 while his Ram squads have posted five of the top 15 season birdie totals in school history. He also coached Jake Staiano, who was the first All-Mountain West selection during his tenure as well as an individual qualifier for the 2017 NCAA Austin Regional, and Oscar Teiffel, who was the 2019 Mountain West Co-Freshman of the Year and All-Mountain West selection.The Rams have also earned seven consecutive GCAA All-Academic Team awards during his tenure.
Prior to coming to Colorado State, Newton served for five seasons as an assistant at Georgia Tech, beginning in 2007. Newton was promoted to associate head coach for the in the summer of 2011. In addition, he served as assistant coach for the United States team that competed in the Palmer Cup in 2012. The tournament pits the top eight American collegiate players against their counterparts in Europe.
His efforts and success in helping lift the Tech program were recognized by his peers in the spring of 2011, when he was named the recipient of the Jan Strickland Award, presented by the Golf Coaches Association of America to the nation’s top assistant coach. Newton had been a finalist for the award each of the two years prior.
In 10 years as an assistant coach, Newton oversaw the development of 13 All-Americans and 17 all-conference selections, and helped guide his teams to the NCAA Championship seven times, including each of his five years at Georgia Tech. Newton also helped guide the Yellow Jackets to a top-10 final season ranking in each campaign.
Newton, who spent two years at Alabama (2005-07) prior to his stint at Georgia Tech, helped coach the Crimson Tide to a sixth-place finish at the 2007 NCAA Championship. While there he also helped revamp the golf booster program.
A native of Lyons, Ga., Newton was an assistant coach at his alma mater, Georgia Southern, from 2003-2005, helping the Eagles to a tie for 13th at the 2005 NCAA championship. He also assisted in coaching two All-Americans, Aron Price and David Palm, the Eagles’ first All-Americans since the 1989-90 season.
Newton earned a bachelor’s degree in sports management from Georgia Southern in 2002, and completed his master’s in sports management there in 2004. He played golf four years (1997-2001) for the Eagles, earned All-Southern Conference honors in 2001 and also played in the NCAA championship that spring.
Newton is married to the former Jessica O’Dwyer of Atlanta. The couple has three children, sons Keegan and Dwyer and a daughter, Kaylyn.
| NEWTON AT A GLANCE | ||
| PERSONAL | ||
| College | Georgia Southern, 2002 (BS) | |
| Georgia Southern, 2003 (MS) | ||
| Family | Wife: Jessica | |
| Sons: Keegan, Dwyer / Daughter: Kaylyn | ||
| COACHING EXPERIENCE | ||
| Year | School, Position | |
| 2003-05 | Georgia Southern, assistant coach | |
| 2005-07 | Alabama, assistant coach | |
| 2007-12 | Georgia Tech, associate head coach | |
| 2012-Pres. | Colorado State, head coach | |
| POSTSEASON EXPERIENCE | ||
| Year | Tournament | |
| 2003-04 | NCAA East Regional (Georgia Southern) | |
| 2004-05 | NCAA Championships (Georgia Southern) | |
| 2005-06 | NCAA West Regional (Alabama) | |
| 2006-07 | NCAA Championships (Alabama) | |
| 2007-08 | NCAA Central Regional (Georgia Tech) | |
| 2008-09 | NCAA Championships (Georgia Tech) | |
| 2009-10 | NCAA Championships Final 8 (Georgia Tech) | |
| 2010-11 | NCAA Championships Final 8 (Georgia Tech) | |
| 2011-12 | NCAA Central Regional (Georgia Tech) | |
| 2016-17 | NCAA Austin Regional (Colorado State-Individual) | |
| 2017-18 | NCAA Kissimmee Regional (Colorado State) | |
| 2018-19 | NCAA Pullman Regional (Colorado State) | |
| 2020-21 | NCAA Stillwater Regional (Colorado State-Individual) NCAA Championship (Individual) |
|
| HEAD COACHING HISTORY | ||
| Year | School | Conf. Finish |
| 2012-13 | Colorado State | 5th/9 |
| 2013-14 | Colorado State | 5th/11 |
| 2014-15 | Colorado State | 5th/11 |
| 2015-16 | Colorado State | 4th/11 |
| 2016-17 | Colorado State | 2nd/11 |
| 2017-18 | Colorado State | 2nd/11 |
| 2018-19 | Colorado State | 2nd/11 |
| 2019-20 | Colorado State | N/A |
| 2020-21 | Colorado State | 6th/11 |
