Don Cole is recognized for his accomplishments as the head golf coach at Keystone College and for his contributions to the game at the regional, national and international levels.
Coach Cole is without a doubt one of the most successful coaches to ever mentor and teach student-athletes at Keystone College. His coaching resume and the success of his program have put forth a distinguished pedigree.
While his career highlights are many, perhaps the most significant came in 2004 when his squad captured the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) National Championship, resulting in the first national title in any sport at Keystone College. As a result of the team title, Coach Cole picked up one his seven Coach of the Year awards that he has attained over his career at Keystone.
In addition to the 2004 USCAA Coach of the Year honor, he was a four time recipient of the North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) Coach of the Year award (2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008) and a two time winner of the Pennsylvania Collegiate Athletic Association (PCAA) Coach of the Year award in 2001 and 2002.
In addition to the 2004 USCAA title, Coach Cole’s teams have made four other trips to the national stage. The Giants competed at the 2002 and 2003 National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Championships, as well as the 2008 and 2010 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) National Championships. His teams have won five conference titles, four in the NEAC (2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008) and one in the Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) which occurred this past April. His squads can also claim two Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC) South Region Championships (2004, 2005), a NJCAA Region XIX title (2003) and a 2001 PCAA crown.
Coach Cole’s instructional background has proven to be a great benefit to his student-athletes. He has coached 28 All-Conference selections, three USCAA All-Americans and one NJCAA All-American. He can also claim two PCAA individual champions, as well as the 2003 Region XIX Individual Champion and NJCAA National Runner-Up.
Prior to taking the reigns at Keystone, Coach Cole firmly left his mark on the high school level. Serving as head golf coach for 20 years at Abington Heights High School in Clarks Summit, Pa., coach Cole compiled a record of 266-46-8, which included an astonishing home record of 101-6-1. In fact of the six home losses, only three came from a Pennsylvania team.
He is the only golf coach in the history of the Lackawanna Golf League to win seven PIAA District II Team Championships over three decades: 1977, 1980, 1981, 1984, 1985, 1993, and 1994 and is the only coach in the history of the Lackawanna Golf League to win three back-to-back PIAA District II Team Championships: 1980 and 1981, 1984 and 1985, and 1993 and 1994. He coached the Comets to 14 Northern Division Championships, which included 11 undefeated seasons
While at Abington, he coached eight individual District Champions, while also coaching the only player (male or female) in the history of the Lackawanna Golf League to win four consecutive PIAA District II Individual Championships. In addition, he has had 28 players qualify for the PIAA State Championships.
Coach Cole’s impact has also been felt on the national level as well, having coached national teams through the Sports for Understanding Program, leading his squads to competitions in Ireland, Scotland, Australia and New Zealand.
