Samford University Athletics

Charles Newton is in his fifth full season at Samford University and his third as assistant coach. He was promoted to his current position in June of 2014 by Head Coach Scott Padgett. Prior to being named an assistant coach, Newton served two seasons as the Bulldogs’ video coordinator.
 
Last year, Samford vastly improved under his leadership and registered its best win total in six years, dating back to 2009.
 
With talented sophomore point guard Christen Cunningham and All-Southern Conference performers Darius Jones-Gibson, Matt Rose and Wyatt Walker leading the way, the Bulldogs opened the season with a brilliant 5-1 record and knocked off Nebraska on the road, 69-58, in Lincoln, Neb.
 
Samford’s double-digit victory on the road at Nebraska proved to be the school’s first triumph against a Big 10 opponent. Additionally, the Bulldogs finished the 2015-16 season with a solid 10-5 record against non-conference opponents.
 
Newton joined Samford’s staff in April of 2012 under then Head Coach Bennie Seltzer. A native of Lexington, Ky., and former player at Tennessee Tech, Newton spent the 2011-12 campaign as the Director of Basketball Operations at his alma mater.
 
Newton, a graduate of the prestigious Lexington Catholic High School, played two seasons for the Golden Eagles before graduating from Tennessee Tech in 2011. He saw action in 15 games as a senior and turned in a stellar 68.8-percent shooting mark from the field — the highest field-goal percentage of any Golden Eagle.
 
Newton also converted 3-point baskets at a 55.6 percent clip, going 5-for-9 from long range. His team-high 23 points led Tennessee Tech to a 106-44 win over Crowley’s Ridge on Dec. 30, 2010.
 
During his tenure with the Golden Eagles, Newton was named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Honors Court for his strong academics, and received the team’s John P. Hendrix Leadership Award. He also participated in a Reach USA foreign ministries program in which he traveled to China to play basketball with other players from the Lexington area.
 
In high school, Newton led Lexington Catholic in steals and assists and was a Team Captain. He comes from a rich family background in coaching and athletic administration — his grandfather, C.M. Newton played at Kentucky and served as head basketball coach at Alabama and Vanderbilt. He later became athletic director at Kentucky, where he hired Rick Pitino to lead the basketball program. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2000.
 
Newton’s father, Martin Newton, served as the Director of Basketball Operations at Kentucky and is now the Director of Athletics at Samford. Newton has one son, Charles Newton IV (4).
 

THE NEWTON FILE
 
COACHING EXPERIENCE
 
2014-present             Assistant Coach
                                     Samford University
 
2012-14                      Video Coordinator
                                     Samford University
 
2011-12                      Director of Basketball Operations
                                     Tennessee Tech University
 
PLAYING EXPERIENCE
2009-11                      Tennessee Tech University
 
EDUCATION
2011                            B.S., sociology; minor in exercise science
                                     Tennessee Tech University
 
PERSONAL
Hometown                 Lexington, Ky.
Children                     Charles Newton IV (4)