Golf Head Coach Todd Lawton Extended
8/11/2026 11:00:00 AM | Men's Golf, Women's Golf
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – USC Upstate Vice Chancellor for Intercollegiate Athletics Matt Martin announced a contract extension for head men's and women's golf coach Todd Lawton. Lawton will remain in Spartanburg as he enters his 22nd season leading the Spartans and his 29th year in collegiate coaching.
Lawton has helped establish both Spartan golf programs among the most respected and competitive in the Big South Conference and beyond. Throughout his tenure, his teams have consistently excelled in the classroom and on the course.
"Todd Lawton has done an outstanding job building both our men's and women's golf programs into consistent contenders at the conference level," said Matt Martin, Vice Chancellor for Intercollegiate Athletics. "Todd's leadership and commitment to the student-athlete experience have built golf programs that compete for championships, thrive academically and reflect the best of USC Upstate Athletics. We are thrilled to have him continue leading our Spartans."
Lawton recently guided the men's golf team to its first-ever Big South Conference Championship in 2025 and a trip to the NCAA Auburn Regional. A year later, the Spartans nearly repeated as conference champions, advancing to the match play finals before falling in a playoff round to finish as Big South runner-up.
His leadership has also elevated the women's program, which earned its first-ever postseason appearance in 2024 with a berth in the National Golf Invitational in Maricopa, Arizona. The women's program has finished Big South Conference runner-up in three of the past six years, including 2021, when Coach Lawton was named Big South Conference Coach of the Year.
"I can't thank USC Upstate enough for the opportunity to continue as the men's and women's golf coach," said Lawton. "The support our program has received under the leadership of our university administration has been incredible. Â Matt Martin and Lenny Mathis have fostered a culture that enables us to grow and compete for championships. Â Knowing that there is confidence in our competitive goals and the desire to create a transformative student-athlete experience makes me happy and whole."
Off the course, Lawton's teams have consistently demonstrated a commitment to academic success. Throughout his career, over 20 student-athletes have achieved Academic All-American honors. In 2025-26, three men's golfers, Alec Prentice, Jaskaran Sohal, and Jackson Stone, were named to the Cobalt Golf All-America Scholars for NCAA Division-I, while Madison Dixon was named to the WGCA All-American Scholar Team for the second time in her USC Upstate career.
Lawton's tenure includes rebuilding the men's program and launching the women's program. He led the men to a runner-up finish at the 2007 NCAA Division II National Championships and a No. 2 national ranking while guiding the women to the brink of postseason qualification. Since the move to Division I, his teams have continued to earn strong tournament finishes and national recognition.
"Over the past 20+ years, I've been blessed to work with and on behalf of so many talented men and women; on and off the course," added Lawton. "I am humbled by our program's recent success and cannot underscore enough the efforts of all these players to achieve such lofty goals. Â I believe a true measure of golf's impact at USC Upstate is how often I get to stay in touch with our golf alumni and their growing families. Â It's just plain cool. Â Coaching takes a toll on families and there's no way any of this is possible without the love and support of my wife, Laura. Â Thirty-one years of marriage and she's endured 29 with me as a coach. I'm a very fortunate man."
A PGA Class A Professional, Lawton has long been active in the game beyond the university. His background includes work in golf instruction, junior golf development, and service to the PGA and major golf events in the Carolinas.
The contract extension reflects USC Upstate's confidence in the continued leadership of Lawton and the ongoing success of both golf programs.
Â
Connect with the SpartansÂ
Facebook.com/UpstateAthleticsÂ
Twitter | @UpstateMWGolf | @UpstateSpartansÂ
Instagram | @UpstateMGolf | @UpstateWGolf | @UpstateSpartansÂ
YouTube.com/UpstateSpartans
INVEST IN CHAMPIONS - Join the Upstate Athletic Fund (UAF) and enjoy enhanced benefits for your support of all USC Upstate programs! Make your gift today, click here!
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Lawton has helped establish both Spartan golf programs among the most respected and competitive in the Big South Conference and beyond. Throughout his tenure, his teams have consistently excelled in the classroom and on the course.
"Todd Lawton has done an outstanding job building both our men's and women's golf programs into consistent contenders at the conference level," said Matt Martin, Vice Chancellor for Intercollegiate Athletics. "Todd's leadership and commitment to the student-athlete experience have built golf programs that compete for championships, thrive academically and reflect the best of USC Upstate Athletics. We are thrilled to have him continue leading our Spartans."
Lawton recently guided the men's golf team to its first-ever Big South Conference Championship in 2025 and a trip to the NCAA Auburn Regional. A year later, the Spartans nearly repeated as conference champions, advancing to the match play finals before falling in a playoff round to finish as Big South runner-up.
His leadership has also elevated the women's program, which earned its first-ever postseason appearance in 2024 with a berth in the National Golf Invitational in Maricopa, Arizona. The women's program has finished Big South Conference runner-up in three of the past six years, including 2021, when Coach Lawton was named Big South Conference Coach of the Year.
"I can't thank USC Upstate enough for the opportunity to continue as the men's and women's golf coach," said Lawton. "The support our program has received under the leadership of our university administration has been incredible. Â Matt Martin and Lenny Mathis have fostered a culture that enables us to grow and compete for championships. Â Knowing that there is confidence in our competitive goals and the desire to create a transformative student-athlete experience makes me happy and whole."
Off the course, Lawton's teams have consistently demonstrated a commitment to academic success. Throughout his career, over 20 student-athletes have achieved Academic All-American honors. In 2025-26, three men's golfers, Alec Prentice, Jaskaran Sohal, and Jackson Stone, were named to the Cobalt Golf All-America Scholars for NCAA Division-I, while Madison Dixon was named to the WGCA All-American Scholar Team for the second time in her USC Upstate career.
Lawton's tenure includes rebuilding the men's program and launching the women's program. He led the men to a runner-up finish at the 2007 NCAA Division II National Championships and a No. 2 national ranking while guiding the women to the brink of postseason qualification. Since the move to Division I, his teams have continued to earn strong tournament finishes and national recognition.
"Over the past 20+ years, I've been blessed to work with and on behalf of so many talented men and women; on and off the course," added Lawton. "I am humbled by our program's recent success and cannot underscore enough the efforts of all these players to achieve such lofty goals. Â I believe a true measure of golf's impact at USC Upstate is how often I get to stay in touch with our golf alumni and their growing families. Â It's just plain cool. Â Coaching takes a toll on families and there's no way any of this is possible without the love and support of my wife, Laura. Â Thirty-one years of marriage and she's endured 29 with me as a coach. I'm a very fortunate man."
A PGA Class A Professional, Lawton has long been active in the game beyond the university. His background includes work in golf instruction, junior golf development, and service to the PGA and major golf events in the Carolinas.
The contract extension reflects USC Upstate's confidence in the continued leadership of Lawton and the ongoing success of both golf programs.
Â
Connect with the SpartansÂ
Facebook.com/UpstateAthleticsÂ
Twitter | @UpstateMWGolf | @UpstateSpartansÂ
Instagram | @UpstateMGolf | @UpstateWGolf | @UpstateSpartansÂ
YouTube.com/UpstateSpartans
INVEST IN CHAMPIONS - Join the Upstate Athletic Fund (UAF) and enjoy enhanced benefits for your support of all USC Upstate programs! Make your gift today, click here!
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Players Mentioned
/ Women's Golf
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
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