Berea College Director of Athletics Ryan Hess has named Austin Newton head coach of the Mountaineer men’s basketball team.
When asked about the opportunity Newton said, “After spending over half of my life in Madison County, I’ve been able to see firsthand the numerous opportunities that Berea College provides to its students and athletes. I couldn’t be more proud to lead the Mountaineer basketball program and promote all the great things this wonderful institution & community has to offer.”
Newton was most recently the head coach of Madison Southern High School where, just last season, Austin coached his team to the 44th District Championship, the program’s third all-time. Their success continued into the 11th Region Tournament, as the Eagles won a first-round game for the first time in program history.
Off the court, Newton’s Eagles were featured on ESPN Sportscenter’s Scott Van Pelt show for their involvement with the Madison County Special Olympics team. Under Coach Newton, the Madison Southern boys basketball team has remained heavily involved in the community, participating in service projects such as the Spoonbread Festival and Habitat for Humanity, as well as working with local food banks and in nursing homes.
Before taking the reigns at Madison Southern, Newton was an assistant coach at Eastern Kentucky University from 2010-15. In his five-year stint, the Colonels posted a 106-61 overall record. In the 2013-14 season, the Colonels finished 24-10, winning the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament and earning a bid in the NCAA Tournament. The trip to the NCAA Tournament was Newton’s second, as he was a senior captain and point guard for the Colonels on the 2005 EKU team that played the University of Kentucky.
“I have always had a great deal of respect for Coach Newton, as a person and a coach,” Hess said. “Here locally, we have been able to not only see the success he and his teams have had on the court, but also the overall development of a program culture, and what that looks like within a community. His ability to connect and the importance he places on the creation of meaningful relationships, both with his players and in the community, has truly been impressive. We’re so excited to officially welcome Austin, his wife Amy, Halle, and Hagan to our Mountaineer family.”
