Sewanee Men's Golf Welcomes New Coach Keenan Hickton

The 2024 Fall season is back in full swing here at Sewanee! This brings an exciting new influx of students as well as staff members to the domain. One program that’s leadership has shifted going into this fall season is the men’s golf program. Last year, the men’s team was under the tutelage of Coach Josh Hill, who announced his departure last spring to pursue a DI coaching position. Congratulations to Coach Hill! Now, in his place we are excited to welcome Coach Keenan Hickton to the domain! Coming to Sewanee from Emory University where he served as their men’s assistant golf coach, Hickton brings a fresh new perspective to the team. In a conversation with Coach Hickton, he told the Sewanee Athletic a bit about his vision for our tigers as well as recent community involvement. 

Although the interview was short, it was immediately clear from Coach Hickton’s demeanor that he cares deeply about not only the team but each individual. When asked about his goals, each member of the program and the yearly season ahead, there was a strong emphasis on the players' lives. Coach Hickton said, “ I am a firm believer that ‘how you do anything is how you do everything.’” He wants for each player to ‘maximize their potential’ both on the course and in the classroom. Although playing good golf is the job at hand, Coach Hickton’s coaching style is holistic, keeping in mind his athlete's lives outside the course. As he puts it, “... golf can help show how to strive for excellence in all fields.’” With his mindset and tone clearly laid out, Coach then began to elaborate on his goals for the Sewanee program. Thoughtfully, he said, “My goal for the Sewanee Men’s Golf Program is to create a top Division III Men’s College Golf Program…” To do this, Coach stated that the program will have to fight to compete for SAA and NCAA championships but that it is not a far-fetched feat. His confidence, determination and calmness when outlining his goals showed how much he trusts the skill set of this program. With that being said, Coach’s goals work with each other in his mind: to take an SAA and NCAA title, each player's potential off the course will be built up as well. This idea segwayed us into our final topic of conversation:community engagement.

Earlier this month, the men’s program partnered with Borderless Arts Tennessee to teach the fundamentals of golf. Borderless Arts Tennessee “... is a statewide organization committed to inclusive and accessible arts programs for people with disabilities to enhance educational curriculum, enrich creative expression, empower career development, and encourage community engagement” (Borderless Arts Tennessee). When asked about the team's community involvement, Coach said, “I felt it was important to help the artists from Borderless Arts Foundation because it is our duty to grow the game of golf and make it accessible to others.” It was clear that this volunteer work was another teaching moment for the men's team in how Hickton wants them to carry themselves as athletes and students. As he continued to speak about their experience with Borderless Arts Tennessee, it was amazing to see how quickly Coach has fallen into Sewanee life. His emphasis on the importance of our domain and its members spoke highly of the power our small community has. He said, “Our community gives us an incredible amount of support and provides opportunities for us to succeed. The least we can do is give back with some of our time, energy and enthusiasm.” This emphasis on time, energy, and enthusiasm seems to reflect the qualities Hickton prioritizes in his coaching.

Coach Hickton brings an exciting, fresh and focused perspective to this Sewanee program. His calm confidence in his goal setting provides a sense of security that this team is sure to set records this season. Coming from Emory University, Coach knows what it is like to compete, but he also recognizes the unique character of Sewanee athletics. As the men’s season continues, it will be exciting to see what this program can accomplish. So far, these goals have already begun to take effect as the program captured a win at the Rhodes Invitational! Be sure to stay tuned to see the amazing work Coach Hickton is doing for our tigers to win another championship!