North Carolina State University Athletics
Pack Adds Jacob Hicks and Easton Paxton to Men’s Golf Coaching Staff
7/24/2023 2:29:00 PM | Men's Golf
RALEIGH – NC State men's golf head coach Press McPhaul announced Monday that he has added Jacob Hicks and Easton Paxton to his coaching staff as assistant coaches.
Both Hicks and Paxton played collegiately for McPhaul. Hicks was a four-year lettermen at East Carolina under McPhaul's tutelage while Paxton played for McPhaul at NC State.
It's hard for me to express how excited and grateful I am to have Jacob and Easton coming on board," McPhaul said. "These are two of the best. They were great leaders and 'glue' guys on their teams. I got to see that firsthand. They love the game, they're knowledgeable and they care about people. They enjoy the process of working and getting better. I'm so thankful they are going to be part of leading NC State Golf."
Hicks comes to the Pack after five seasons as head coach of Master's University men's golf program and three years as head coach of the women's program. In 2022-23 he led the men's team to a runner-up finish at the 2023 NAIA Men's Golf National Championship.
Hicks has been named the GSAC (Golden State Athletic Conference) Men's Golf Coach of the Year three consecutive seasons as his Mustang men's program has won the last three GSAC Men's Golf Championships.
Hicks guided Jack Dudeck to back-to-back GSAC individual championships in 2021 and 2022, as well as earning the national runner-up finish at the 2022 NAIA Championship. This last season under Hicks' tutelage, freshman Easton Johnson won the 2023 NAIA men's golf national championship as well as being named NAIA Player of the Year, NAIA Freshman of the Year and the Jack Nicklaus Award winner.
A four-year lettermen under McPhaul at East Carolina. Hicks was a two-time All-Conference selection in The American conference. As a senior he led the Pirates with a 72.32 stroke average and finished the season earning All-America Scholar Team honors from the Golf Coaches Association of America.
"Jacob has always just understood the game at a deep, innate level," McPhaul said. "He's a man of integrity and pursues great relationships. He has shown in his time as a head coach that he knows how to cast vision and move to a big goal. So excited to have him and his wife Sarah joining the Wolfpack."
Paxton returns to NC State after recently completing his collegiate playing career with the Pack.
The Riverton, Wyo., native is one of the more decorated players in recent Pack history. He finished his playing career in the spring of 2022 with 155 rounds played, the most completed rounds by a single player in program history. His career stroke average also ranks in the top-10 in program history.
No stranger to winning, Paxton played a major part in helping NC State to one of its most successful stretches in program history. In his final two seasons with the program, Paxton helped lead NC State to seven tournament titles. It was the most wins in back-to-back seasons for the Pack since the 1994-95 and 1995-96 seasons.
Paxton was also successful off-the-course as he was a three-time All-ACC Academic Men's Golf team selection.
"I had the wonderful opportunity to coach Easton for five years," McPhaul said. "I saw a guy who worked and planned and improved. He never rested on what he had recently accomplished and he quickly moved to the next opportunity. He showed resilience constantly. I greatly respect the way he does his business. He will be a great model for our guys. He loves NC State. So thankful to have him and his wife Sara back in the Pack!"
Both Hicks and Paxton played collegiately for McPhaul. Hicks was a four-year lettermen at East Carolina under McPhaul's tutelage while Paxton played for McPhaul at NC State.
It's hard for me to express how excited and grateful I am to have Jacob and Easton coming on board," McPhaul said. "These are two of the best. They were great leaders and 'glue' guys on their teams. I got to see that firsthand. They love the game, they're knowledgeable and they care about people. They enjoy the process of working and getting better. I'm so thankful they are going to be part of leading NC State Golf."
Hicks comes to the Pack after five seasons as head coach of Master's University men's golf program and three years as head coach of the women's program. In 2022-23 he led the men's team to a runner-up finish at the 2023 NAIA Men's Golf National Championship.
Hicks has been named the GSAC (Golden State Athletic Conference) Men's Golf Coach of the Year three consecutive seasons as his Mustang men's program has won the last three GSAC Men's Golf Championships.
Hicks guided Jack Dudeck to back-to-back GSAC individual championships in 2021 and 2022, as well as earning the national runner-up finish at the 2022 NAIA Championship. This last season under Hicks' tutelage, freshman Easton Johnson won the 2023 NAIA men's golf national championship as well as being named NAIA Player of the Year, NAIA Freshman of the Year and the Jack Nicklaus Award winner.
A four-year lettermen under McPhaul at East Carolina. Hicks was a two-time All-Conference selection in The American conference. As a senior he led the Pirates with a 72.32 stroke average and finished the season earning All-America Scholar Team honors from the Golf Coaches Association of America.
"Jacob has always just understood the game at a deep, innate level," McPhaul said. "He's a man of integrity and pursues great relationships. He has shown in his time as a head coach that he knows how to cast vision and move to a big goal. So excited to have him and his wife Sarah joining the Wolfpack."
Paxton returns to NC State after recently completing his collegiate playing career with the Pack.
The Riverton, Wyo., native is one of the more decorated players in recent Pack history. He finished his playing career in the spring of 2022 with 155 rounds played, the most completed rounds by a single player in program history. His career stroke average also ranks in the top-10 in program history.
No stranger to winning, Paxton played a major part in helping NC State to one of its most successful stretches in program history. In his final two seasons with the program, Paxton helped lead NC State to seven tournament titles. It was the most wins in back-to-back seasons for the Pack since the 1994-95 and 1995-96 seasons.
Paxton was also successful off-the-course as he was a three-time All-ACC Academic Men's Golf team selection.
"I had the wonderful opportunity to coach Easton for five years," McPhaul said. "I saw a guy who worked and planned and improved. He never rested on what he had recently accomplished and he quickly moved to the next opportunity. He showed resilience constantly. I greatly respect the way he does his business. He will be a great model for our guys. He loves NC State. So thankful to have him and his wife Sara back in the Pack!"
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