Coach will lead team into first varsity season in 23 years
Norwich University named Kevin Cole head men's golf coach. He’ll lead the Cadets into their first varsity season since 1999 this fall.
Incoming Athletic Director Ed Hockenbury announced the hiring.
Cole has served as a Norwich assistant men's hockey coach since August 2021 and has worked in Norwich's College of Graduate and Continuing Studies as a student support adviser. He has also played golf extensively, finishing twice in the top five in the Michigan High School Athletic Association regional tournament and once in the top 10 in the association’s state tournament. He qualified for national high school championships and won multiple high school and junior tournaments.
Norwich University’s 2022 varsity men’s golf schedule will be released early this summer.
“Kevin Cole is a talented young coach who will bring energy and direction to the newest sport in our department," Hockenbury said. “His track record as a proven coach and recruiter with successful experience starting a new program at the college level made him the right choice.”
Cole said, “I am excited to be chosen as the first head coach for the rebirth of the Norwich varsity golf team,” Cole said. “Having experience starting hockey programs at two universities will help me add to an already strong tradition for Norwich athletics.”
Cole started a new program at Purdue University Northwest in Indiana, recruiting 21 student-athletes for the inaugural season team and 19 more student-athletes for the second year. Before Purdue Northwest, Cole helped start three teams at Trine University in Angola, Indiana, recruiting 90 student-athletes for the inaugural season.
Beyond coaching, Cole is extremely involved in daily student-athlete academic success, organizing weekly team study sessions and working with them daily.
Norwich's home course for practice and competition will be the scenic Northfield Country Club, just a five-minute drive from campus off Route 12A. Norwich will compete in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference. Norwich University becomes the conference’s sixth core member to sponsor a team, joining St. Joseph’s (Maine), Albertus Magnus, Dean College, Emmanuel and Elms.
Because Division III changed the minimum number of schools for a conference to receive an automatic NCAA Tournament qualifier from seven to six, the GNAC will maintain its automatic tournament qualifier. The 2022 championship will be contested at the Mission Inn Resort & Club in Lake County, Florida.
Norwich University’s 2022 varsity men’s golf schedule will be released early this summer. The team will compete several events in the fall, including the 2022 GNAC Championship, hosted by defending GNAC champion St. Joseph's (Maine) at Point Sebago Golf Course in Casco, Maine.
