Christian Newton Retiring From Collegiate Coaching

FORT COLLINS, Colo. – Colorado State head men's golf coach Christian Newton will retire from collegiate coaching, he announced today. The retirement will occur in August, and CSU has retained Bowlsby Sports Advisors to assist with conducting a full national search.

"First and foremost, I want to thank CSU Athletics, Joe Parker and Steve Cottingham for the opportunity to coach CSU men's golf program for the past 10 years," Newton said. " I'm so proud of what we have accomplished here on and off the course. To our donors and especially the Ram Masters' board, your support has been integral to the program and I can't thank you enough for your contributions, time and belief in me and the program.

"To the team, this is bittersweet," Newton continued. "You are the reason I was a coach. You epitomize the meaning of a student-athlete. I will miss my time with you dearly, but will faithfully follow you every step of the way and can't wait to see what the future holds for this program and you individually. My family and I are excited for our next chapter that keeps us in Fort Collins and deeply rooted in this wonderful community. I am truly proud to be a CSU Ram!"

"We want to thank Christian for his outstanding efforts leading our men's golf program over the past 10 seasons," Director of Athletics Joe Parker said. "He not only developed the student-athletes for success on the course while elevating the program again to national prominence and numerous NCAA Regional appearances, but he was also committed to promoting great success in the classroom. We wish him and his family the best in the future."

A 20-year coaching veteran, Newton led the Rams for 10 seasons, leading the Rams to seven of the top 16 national rankings in program history. On the course, he coached the Rams to three team and two individual postseason berths, 13 team titles and 10 individual wins along with having two All-Americans, three All-District and 10 All-Mountain West selections. In the classroom, his last nine teams earned the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) Team Academic Award, he had 16 GCAA All-America Scholars and 46 honored as Academic All-Mountain West. He also coached 10 out of the top 20 career stroke and single-season scoring averages in school history.

Over the last six years, Newton led the program to one of its most successful runs in history. During that time, the Rams had one individual NCAA Championship berth, five NCAA Regional appearances (2020 did not occur due to COVID), four Mountain West Championship runner-up finishes and nine team victories. He was the 2018 Mountain West Coach of the Year and led CSU to its top final ranking in his tenure of 19^th in the 2019-20 Bushnell Golfweek Coaches Poll after three consecutive wins, including the prestigious Jerry Pate National Intercollegiate in Alabama. 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.

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.

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. 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, 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 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.

Interested candidates in the head coaching position should reach out directly to Kyle Bowlsby at Kyle@bowlsbysportsadvisors.com.

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