Berea College Men's Basketball

Austin Newton was named Head Coach of the Berea College men's basketball program in September 2022. In his inaugural season, Newton earned the Collegiate Conference of The South “Coach of the Year” award. Under his leadership, the Mountaineers achieved their highest win total (15 wins) since 2016-17, tied for second place in the league (7-5), and hosted their first-ever postseason game since joining NCAA Division III. Newton’s team excelled on the road, posting a 9-3 record away from home. Senior Isaac Caudill and sophomore Trey Minter received All-Conference First Team honors. Previous Coaching & Leadership Experience: Prior to Berea, Newton was head coach at Madison Southern High School in Berea. In his final season, he led the Eagles to only the third district championship in program history, defeating Madison Central. The team went on to win a first-round game in the 11th Region Tournament — a first in the program’s history. Newton also cultivated a strong team culture emphasizing community service; his team was featured on ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt show for their involvement with the Madison County Special Olympics. They also participated in service projects such as the Spoonbread Festival, Habitat for Humanity, supporting local food banks, and nursing homes. College Coaching & Athletic Administration: Newton spent many years at Eastern Kentucky University as a coach and administrator. From 2015-2018, he served as Assistant Athletic Director of Development, managing fundraising efforts for the Colonel Club and EKU Athletics. He launched the “Elite 100” program, targeting annual gifts of $1,000+ to support athletic facilities and initiatives, and oversaw the Athletics Campaign Committee that funded numerous university projects. Initially, Newton served as the Basketball Director of Operations at EKU (2008-2010) before being promoted to full-time assistant coach (2010-2015). During this period, EKU compiled a 106-61 record, including a 24-10 season in 2013-14 that culminated in winning the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament and earning an NCAA Tournament bid against Kansas. Newton was also the lead recruiter for Nick Mayo, EKU’s all-time leading scorer. Academic & Athletic Achievements: While at EKU, Newton helped the program earn the NCAA Division I Academic Progress Rate (APR) Public Recognition Award in 2014 — one of only 24 sports programs in the Ohio Valley Conference and one of only 40 NCAA Division I men's basketball teams nationwide to earn this honor. Playing Career: A Campbellsville native, Newton played collegiate basketball at Eastern Kentucky from 2001-2005. As a senior captain, he helped lead EKU to the 2005 NCAA Tournament, where they faced Kentucky in the first round. He graduated cum laude in August 2005 with a bachelor’s degree in public relations, a 3.5 GPA, and was a three-year Scholar-Athlete. Personal Life: Austin is married to Amy, a Berea native and Madison Southern alumna. Austin & Amy reside in Berea, they have two kids, Halle and Hagan.

Robert Montgomery currently serves as a Credit Recovery Teacher and Assistant Athletic Director at Madison Southern High School in Berea, KY, a role he has held since January 2021. Robert's journey in basketball started as a student manager for the EKU Men’s Basketball team from 2013 to 2016. He went on to make a significant impact by founding and serving as the President of the first Club Basketball Team at EKU for one season. In addition to his local contributions, Robert is also a Volunteer Regional Coordinator for the National Club Basketball Association (NCBBA) since 2017. His coaching experience includes guiding the Garrard County Middle School basketball teams to success, notably leading the class of 2024 6th graders as an assistant coach to the conference championship game and guiding the class of 2025 8th graders to the conference final four as a head coach. Robert's dedication to basketball extends to the community as he currently holds the position of President of the Southern Madison Future Eagles Basketball League. Outside of his professional life, Robert resides in Lancaster, KY, with his wife Aaliyah and their twin daughters Ava & Brayla.