Alma Mater: University of North Dakota '88
Seasons as Head Coach: 76th
NCAA Championships Appearances: 2 (10th place, 2015; 13th place, 2016)
UAA Championships (Men): 1; (2010)
UAA Championships (Women): 1; (2016)
ECAC Championships (Women): 1; (2010)
Liberty League Championships (Women): 3; (2013, 2015, 2016)
Coach of the Year Honors: 5; UAA (2010 - Men; 2016 Women), Liberty League (2013, 2015, 2016 - Women)
Todd Kolean was named Head Coach of New York University’s men’s and women’s golf teams in May 2009. Now in his eighth season, Kolean has lifted both programs to new heights, with the men capturing the University Athletic Association (UAA) Championship in his first season and the women finishing a best-ever 10th at the NCAA Championship in 2014-15.
Kolean led the NYU women’s team to an outstanding year in 2015-16, as the Violets won their first-ever UAA Championship, captured their third Liberty League Championship and qualified for the NCAA Championship for the second consecutive season, taking 13th place nationally. On the men’s side, Kolean led his team to seven top-five finishes including a season-best third-place performance at the St. Lawrence Invitational.
Under Kolean’s tutelage, freshman Jenni Bluetling earned UAA Player of the Year, Liberty League Co-Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year honors. She was named Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division III Rookie of the Month (March), Women’s Golf Coaches Association (WGCA) All-East Region and NYU Female Freshman of the Year. For the men, freshman, Derrek Drozdyk was a two-time Liberty League Rookie of the Week selection and was named Honorable Mention All-UAA.
The 2014-15 season was one of the most successful in program history for the Violet women, as they automatically qualified for the NCAA Championship for the first time by winning the Liberty League title. Kolean led the squad to a 10th-place finish behind strong performances from an all-freshman foursome led by Alyssa Poentis, who took sixth place individually at the NCAA’s and earned Honorable Mention All-America accolades from the 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 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. Paul Park earned both UAA and Liberty League Rookie of the Year honors.
In 2013-14, Kolean saw his women’s team record six top-five finishes, including a first-place showing at the McDaniel Spring Invitational and a second-place result at the Liberty League Championship. Kolean also oversaw a strong final campaign for captain Kristina Shalhoup, who finished second overall at the Liberty League Championship and finished as the program’s leader in rounds played and top-20 finishes.
Kolean’s men’s squad found success in 2013-14, as well, 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 accolades.
In 2012-13, Kolean’s women’s squad posted the then-lowest season scoring average in team history (333.10). The highlight of the season came when the Violets captured the inaugural Liberty League Championship in their first year of competition within the conference. For their efforts, Kolean and his assistants Brad Johnson and Matt Huck were named the Liberty League Coaching Staff of the Year.
Fueled by its strong performances throughout the season, NYU entered the Golf World/WGCA Poll and finished the campaign at #20. The Violets also ranked #19 in the Golfstat.com head-to-head rankings. Freshman Elaine Tse thrived under Kolean’s leadership, as she recorded four top-five finishes, including the individual crown at the McDaniel Spring Invitational where she set new records for lowest single-round score (71) and 36-hole tournament score (147). She received First Team All-Liberty League honors, was named the conference’s Rookie of the Week six times and Performer of the Week on two occasions.
The Violet men also had a strong season in ‘12-13, finishing among the top three in six of 10 tournaments, including four second-place finishes. Demshki earned First Team All-UAA honors while also being named to the PING Division III All-Northeast Region Team.
During the 2011-12 season, Kolean led the women through another impressive campaign. The Violets placed second at two tournaments – the McDaniel Invitational and the ECAC Division II/ III Championship. NYU also earned its first invitations to the Jekyll Island Collegiate Invitational and the Williams Spring Invitational, two of the most competitive tournaments in the nation.
NYU’s men also had a strong season in ‘11-12, tying for fourth at the ECAC Division III Metro/Upstate Championship and finishing seventh at the St. Lawrence University Invitational.
In 2010-11, the women’s squad won the first team title in program history (in just their fourth year as a varsity program) at the ECAC Division II/ III Championship and climbed to as high as #9 in the national rankings. The Violets added another team title at McDaniel and ended the season ranked #16 in both the National Golf Coaches Association (NGCA) Division III Top 25 Poll and the Golfstat.com rankings.
The men’s squad also had a successful season in ’10-11, placing second at the ECAC Division III Metro/Upstate Championship and posting nine top-five finishes. The squad took fourth place at the UAA Championship. Demshki earned Second Team All-UAA honors with his eighth-place individual finish and also won the individual title at McDaniel.
In his first campaign with the Violets, Kolean led the men’s team to its first-ever UAA Championship as he and his assistants Huck, Todd Spenla and January Romero were named UAA Coaching Staff of the Year. The Violets also won the Johnson & Wales Invitational and never finished lower than fifth in any of their nine tournaments.
Kolean, who also serves as an assistant swimming & diving coach for NYU, was the Violets’ Diving Coach from 1990-2000. Four of his student-athletes earned NCAA All-America honors and several were UAA champions. NYU also earned UAA Coaching Staff of the Year honors in 1997.
Prior to this current stint at NYU, Kolean served three seasons as the Diving Coach at Old Dominion University, where three of his divers earned All-Colonial Athletic Association honors. While at Old Dominion, Kolean also helped coordinate weight training, recruiting and team travel.
During his time in the Virginia Beach area, Kolean coached Junior Golf at Cypress Point Country Club.
An avid golfer, Kolean began playing in his early teens. He was a regular at Colgate University’s Seven Oaks Golf Club during his time in Upstate New York and has continued his passion and love of the sport.
A 1988 graduate of the University of North Dakota with Bachelor of Arts degrees in history and political science, Kolean is a native of Holland, MI, and resides in Jersey City, NJ.
