SIU men’s golf will have to find a new coach for the 2014-2015 season.

Coach Leroy Newton announced his retirement from the head coach position of the Salukis men’s golf team after 19 years .

The team has finished in the top three at the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament eight times, Newton has coached the team to five of those. He has also led the team to 11 wins and coached 13 golfers to All-Conference awards.

Newton said it felt like it was time to retire.

“I’ve been doing it for 19 years, its been a long time and I just thought it was best that I do other things,” Newton said. “Maybe we can get somebody younger to come in and take care of the golf team. I never wanted to leave and not have some good golfers on hand for the next guy.”

Tony McDaniel can be reached at [email protected], @tonymcdanielDE or at 536-3311 ext. 282