Chris Hill, head golf coach at St. Edward’s University since June 2018, has spent the past few weeks rallying all the support he could in an attempt to save the Hilltoppers’ golf program from budget cuts. Ultimately, the number was just too big. As the golf programs shutter at the NCAA Division II school in Austin, Hill is moving on but not moving far.
Hill has coached at every level of college golf. After stints at Division I, II and III schools, he’s taking on a new challenge in high school golf. Hill has accepted a position as the head men’s and women’s golf coach at Georgetown (Texas) High School just north of Austin, which competes at the Class 5A level.
“I think it’s going to be a lot of fun,” Hill said. “I might be a trendsetter.”
The St. Edward’s men’s and women’s golf teams were among six programs slated for elimination, the university revealed on April 15. Hill and head women’s coach Jennifer McNeil – who has been the only coach in the 16-year history of the women’s program – lobbied for the opportunity to save their teams through fundraising.
The university — a private school with a student population of 3,680 undergraduates — agreed, but set a steep goal. The coaches were asked to come up with pledges totaling more than $2 million per sport by the end of May to ensure the programs will be reinstated for five years.
Hill said he and McNeil “made up significant ground” on that number but ultimately couldn’t reach it. He remains in contact with his players and will continue to help the men who are looking to pursue their college golf careers at other schools.
As for Hill, his transition into high school athletics brings his coaching life full circle. His father spent more than 30 years as a high school basketball coach, turning down an opportunity to coach at the college level because he wanted to be a dad.
“I think this transition is at a perfect time for my family,” Hill said. “My boys are almost 5 and almost 7 and they’re playing golf and playing hockey. I think there’s a bigger plan going on for me that I’m meant to be at Georgetown and help really mold and impact all these golfers.”
Hill will coach both the men’s and women’s teams at Georgetown. He’ll enter a teaching certification program, too. In Texas, high school golf is played year-round.
Hill brings big experience to a high school team looking to grow.
“It’s a true blessing that all this worked out the way it did.”
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