Monday, June 8, 2020

NORMAN, Okla. – After leading the Simon Fraser men’s and women’s golf programs to another banner year despite the abrupt end to the spring season, SFU head coach Matthew Steinbach was named the 2019-20 Division II West Region Men’s Golf Coach of the Year by the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA).

“I am honored to be recognized as the West Region Coach of the Year, knowing that my fellow coaches voted me in,” Steinbach told the Simon Fraser website. “Reflecting on why I feel particularly proud to receive this achievement, it dons on me that it serves as an acknowledgment of our team’s hard work, dedication and attitude of continuous growth.”

Named in April as both the GNAC Men’s and Women’s Golf Coach of the Year, Steinbach led the Simon Fraser men to a league-leading 288.6 team stroke average over 15 rounds. The Clan won two of the five tournaments they competed in this season. They opened the year with an impressive 16-stroke win at the Saint Martin’s Invitational in September, which included a low round of 270 that ranks as the second-lowest 18-hole team round in conference history.

Simon Fraser closed the fall season with a second-place finish at September’s WWU Invitational and a team title at October’s Concordia Invitational. The Clan had top-10 team finishes in their two spring tournaments, placing sixth at the CSUSB Coyote Classic and fourth at the Notre Dame De Namur Argonaut Invitational.

Steinbach saw four of his top players finish in the top-10 in the GNAC stroke average. Three of his players, senior Scott Kerr and sophomores Aidan Goodfellow and Isaac Lee, earn First Team All-GNAC honors. Kerr and Goodfellow were also named First Team All-West Region by the GCAA.

Steinbach recently completed his fourth season as Simon Fraser head coach. He is a 2005 graduate of Simon Fraser and played for legendary head coach John Buchanan, whom he succeeded as head coach.