Aug. 1, 2007
ATLANTA – Christian Newton, an assistant coach at Alabama for the past two years, has been hired as assistant golf coach at Georgia Tech, Yellow Jackets’ head coach Bruce Heppler announced Wednesday.
Newton, 28, will be involved not only in coaching and the strength and conditioning programs for Tech’s players, but will also assist Heppler in recruiting and coordinate the Yellow Jackets’ golf booster club and fund-raising efforts. Former assistant Vicky Newman will remain with the golf program through its annual Ramblin’ Wreck Cup fund-raiser in October.
“I’m excited Christian has chosen to join the program,” said Heppler, who guided the Jackets to their 10th straight NCAA Championship appearance in 2007. “He’s helped build Alabama’s program into one of the nation’s best. I’m looking forward to getting him involved in recruiting and all the other aspects of our program. He’s a great addition to what we already have. I feel fortunate to get somebody with as much experience as he has.”
Newton, who helped coach Alabama to a sixth-place finish at the 2007 NCAA Championship, was involved in all facets of the Crimson Tide program, helping revamp the golf booster program and golf camp while assisting in the development of all-Southeastern Conference players Michael Thompson, Gator Todd and Matthew Swan.
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.
“I wanted to come to Georgia Tech and be a part of the outstanding golf tradition that Coach Heppler has built here,” said Newton. “Coming to Tech will help me realize some of the dreams I have for my career and for me personally.”
He also has worked as a golf shop assistant at Southern Links Golf Club in Statesboro and as assistant ticket manager for the AT&T Classic/Atlanta Classic Foundation.
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.
