Michael Leibfried is in his third season as an assistant coach for the New York University men’s and women’s golf programs. His main responsibilities include serving as a swing coach and supervising practices for the team’s non-travelers.
This past season was the most successful in program history for the Violet women, as they qualified for the NCAA Championship for the first time by winning their first-ever Liberty League title. The Violets posted a 10th-place finish at the national championship behind strong performances from an all-freshman foursome led by Alyssa Poentis, who took sixth place individually and earned Honorable Mention All-America accolades from the Women’s Golf Coaches Association (WGCA).
Poentis collected honors all season long, as she won the Liberty League individual title and earned both the league’s Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year awards. The WGCA named her First Team All-East Region, while she was also selected Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Rookie of the Month (September) and Player of the Month (April). She established team records for lowest scoring average (77.7), lowest 54-hole tournament (235) and 72-hole tournament (313) scores.
By the time the Violets holed their final putt of the season, they had toppled nearly all of NYU’s team records and posted new standards for individual success, including lowest single-round score (300), lowest 36-hole tournament score (620), lowest 54-hole tournament score (958), and lowest team scoring average (322)
The men’s team’s season was highlighted by three second-place team finishes, most notably at the ECAC Championship in the fall. Freshman Paul Park earned both UAA and Liberty League Rookie of the Year honors.
In his first season as a coach with the program, Leibfried saw the women’s team post six top-five finishes, including a first-place showing at the McDaniel Spring Invitational and a second-place result at the Liberty League Championship. Leibfried also helped oversee a strong year for captain Kristina Shalhoup, who finished second overall at the Liberty League Championship and finished as the programs leader in rounds played and top-20 finishes.
Leibfried also helped lead a successful men’s squad in 2013-14, a campaign highlighted by a first-place finish at the Hamilton Invitational. The Violets were led by captain Kyle Demshki, who finished first with a two-under-par 69 at Hamilton and earned Second Team All-UAA (University Athletic Association) accolades. Matthew Gjonaj, emerged as a consistent performer as well, leading the squad with seven top-20 finishes and playing in a team-high 10 events.
A 2010 NYU graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree in biology and politics, Leibfried was a four-year standout on the men’s golf team. Serving as captain during his junior and senior years, Leibfried helped lead the Violets to their first-ever UAA Championship in his final season.
Leibfried’s name can be spotted throughout the NYU Record Book. He is #1 on the team’s all-time list in career low scoring average (76.03), one-season scoring average (75.12 in ’09-10) and rounds par and under (8). Leibfried is #2 in top-five finishes (14) and #4 in top-20 finishes (24).
As a freshman, Leibfried was selected UAA Rookie of the Year, earned First Team All-UAA honors, made the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) All-Freshman Team, and was selected PING Division III All-Northeast Region and Third Team All-American.
As a senior, Leibfried won the ECAC Division III Metro Upstate Championship and the McDaniel College Spring Invitational, earned First Team All-UAA honors and was again a PING Division III All-Northeast Region selection.
Leibfried, who obtained his Master of Bioscience degree with a concentration in business and finance in 2012 from the Keck Graduate Institute of Applied Life Sciences in Claremont, CA, also currently serves as a consultant for GfK Market Access in New York City.
A native of Rolling Hills, CA, Leibfried resides in Manhattan.
