Maryville University Director of Athletics Marcus Manning announced Phillip Newton as the inaugural head coach for the Saints men’s lacrosse team Sept. 21, 2015. Newton will spend the 2015-16 academic year recruiting student-athletes to prepare the Saints for their first season of competition during spring 2017. He comes to Maryville after spending the 2015 season as an assistant coach at NCAA Division II National Champion Limestone College.
“In Phillip we have found a head coach that fits within the fabric of Maryville University and brings championship-level experience to our team,” Manning said. “I’m excited to have him join Saints Nation.”
“I am humbled and honored to be tasked with building the Maryville men's lacrosse program from the ground up,” Newton said. “I would like to thank President Mark Lombardi, Vice President Nina Caldwell, and last Director of Athletics Marcus Manning and the entire search committee for their time and effort throughout the process. We certainly have a great team of support with a clear vision, direction, and the commitment to do what it takes to be successful on and off the field here at Maryville University. It is quite clear that Maryville University's athletic department, coaches and athletes are all striving to win championships, and I believe that is important. We want to be competing for conference championships and contending for a spot in the NCAA tournament as soon as we can."
Newton assisted Limestone win the 2015 NCAA Division II National Championship. During his time with the Saints, Newton helped coach and develop the DII National Player of the Year. He directed three All-American Midfielders and five All-Conference Players. Prior to Limestone, he served as a volunteer assistant coach at Division I Dartmouth and had one All-Ivy League honorable mention defenseman and two Scholar Academic All-Region Selections.
Newton spent one year an assistant coach at Guilford College, where he coached an Honorable Mention All-ODAC Defensemen and helped the Quakers set a school record for allowing the fewest goals per game. As defensive coordinator, Guilford's defense allowed the second fewest total goals in a season in the program's history at 153. Newton coached for two seasons at Birmingham-Southern and helped lead the team to its first SCAC Conference Championship and an NCAA Tournament bid in 2012, just the program’s fourth year of existence. As the school’s defensive coordinator, he guided a defensive unit that ranked 37th in the nation and had seven All-Defensive SCAC selections. Newton also spent two seasons as an assistant coach at Catawba College. He recruited a freshman class of 23, which saw six Deep South All-Conference selections, including the conference Freshman of the Year.
A 2009 graduate of Catawba, Newton earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in history. As a player for the Indians, he was a four-year letterman and a three-year starting defenseman. Newton helped lead Catawba to the school’s first Deep South Conference championship in 2007.
