Florida State University Athletics
Photo by: Ross Obley
Matt Walton Named Associate Head Coach for Florida State Men's and Women's Golf Programs
7/28/2026 2:00:00 PM | Men's Golf, Women's Golf
TALLAHASSEE – Matt Walton has been named associate head coach for the Florida State men's and women's golf programs, Director of Golf and Head Men's Golf Coach Trey Jones and Head Women's Golf Coach Amy Bond announced.
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Walton arrives in Tallahassee after serving three seasons as an assistant coach at the University of Arizona.
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"Hiring Matt Walton is a tremendous addition for Florida State Golf," said Jones. "He's earned a reputation as one of the top coaches in collegiate golf, and his recent recognition as the 2025 National Assistant Coach of the Year and selection to the 2026 International Palmer Cup coaching staff reflect the tremendous respect he has earned throughout our profession.
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"What impressed me most, though, is the way he invests in the people around him. Matt is an outstanding recruiter, an exceptional teacher, and someone who builds lasting relationships with his student-athletes. His character, work ethic, and passion for developing young people make him a perfect fit for Florida State. As we continue to build programs capable of competing for ACC and NCAA Championships year after year, adding someone of Matt's caliber is a significant step forward. I know our student-athletes will benefit tremendously from his leadership, and Amy and I are excited to welcome Matt, Carly, and Emery to the Seminole family."
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During three seasons at Arizona (2023-26), Walton helped guide the Wildcats to two NCAA Championship appearances, including a trip to the NCAA Championship match play semifinals in 2026, matching the program's best finish since 2004. Under Walton's tutelage, three Wildcats competed in major championships while two are recent graduates of PGA TOUR University.
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"I'm incredibly grateful and excited to join the Florida State golf programs and coach alongside Coach Jones and Coach Bond. Florida State has a tradition of excellence and a standard that's recognized across college athletics. The program's commitment to developing outstanding student-athletes made this an opportunity I was honored to accept.
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"I'm looking forward to getting to work, building meaningful relationships, and helping our student-athletes grow while competing for championships at the highest level."
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 Prior to Arizona, Walton spent three seasons as an assistant coach at the University of Southern California (2020-23) and one season at Wichita State University (2019-20) where he began his collegiate coaching career.
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"We are thrilled to have Matt join our Seminole Golf Family," said Bond. "He brings a wealth of experience, having had success at every place he has been. He embodies the values we strive for every day, and we are excited he chose us for his next coaching opportunity."
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Before entering the collegiate ranks, Walton spent four years as one of the nation's top golf instructors. He served as Lead Golf Coach at the Gary Gilchrist Golf Academy in Orlando from 2017-19 after working as Director of Instruction at Correct2Compete in Zionsville, Indiana, from 2015-17.
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As a collegiate player, Walton competed in national postseason competition during all four of his seasons at the NJCAA and NAIA levels. He began his career at Rend Lake College, earning NJCAA Division II Second Team All-America honors while helping the Warriors finish among the nation's top 10. He later transferred to the University of the Cumberlands, where he helped lead the Patriots to back-to-back Mid-South Conference championships in 2012 and 2013 while posting consecutive top 10 finishes at the NAIA National Championships.
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A native of Lytham St. Annes, England, Walton earned his bachelor's degree in sport and exercise science from the University of the Cumberlands in 2013. He and his wife, Carly, have been married since 2017 and have one daughter, Emery.
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Walton arrives in Tallahassee after serving three seasons as an assistant coach at the University of Arizona.
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"Hiring Matt Walton is a tremendous addition for Florida State Golf," said Jones. "He's earned a reputation as one of the top coaches in collegiate golf, and his recent recognition as the 2025 National Assistant Coach of the Year and selection to the 2026 International Palmer Cup coaching staff reflect the tremendous respect he has earned throughout our profession.
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"What impressed me most, though, is the way he invests in the people around him. Matt is an outstanding recruiter, an exceptional teacher, and someone who builds lasting relationships with his student-athletes. His character, work ethic, and passion for developing young people make him a perfect fit for Florida State. As we continue to build programs capable of competing for ACC and NCAA Championships year after year, adding someone of Matt's caliber is a significant step forward. I know our student-athletes will benefit tremendously from his leadership, and Amy and I are excited to welcome Matt, Carly, and Emery to the Seminole family."
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During three seasons at Arizona (2023-26), Walton helped guide the Wildcats to two NCAA Championship appearances, including a trip to the NCAA Championship match play semifinals in 2026, matching the program's best finish since 2004. Under Walton's tutelage, three Wildcats competed in major championships while two are recent graduates of PGA TOUR University.
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"I'm incredibly grateful and excited to join the Florida State golf programs and coach alongside Coach Jones and Coach Bond. Florida State has a tradition of excellence and a standard that's recognized across college athletics. The program's commitment to developing outstanding student-athletes made this an opportunity I was honored to accept.
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"I'm looking forward to getting to work, building meaningful relationships, and helping our student-athletes grow while competing for championships at the highest level."
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 Prior to Arizona, Walton spent three seasons as an assistant coach at the University of Southern California (2020-23) and one season at Wichita State University (2019-20) where he began his collegiate coaching career.
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"We are thrilled to have Matt join our Seminole Golf Family," said Bond. "He brings a wealth of experience, having had success at every place he has been. He embodies the values we strive for every day, and we are excited he chose us for his next coaching opportunity."
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Before entering the collegiate ranks, Walton spent four years as one of the nation's top golf instructors. He served as Lead Golf Coach at the Gary Gilchrist Golf Academy in Orlando from 2017-19 after working as Director of Instruction at Correct2Compete in Zionsville, Indiana, from 2015-17.
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As a collegiate player, Walton competed in national postseason competition during all four of his seasons at the NJCAA and NAIA levels. He began his career at Rend Lake College, earning NJCAA Division II Second Team All-America honors while helping the Warriors finish among the nation's top 10. He later transferred to the University of the Cumberlands, where he helped lead the Patriots to back-to-back Mid-South Conference championships in 2012 and 2013 while posting consecutive top 10 finishes at the NAIA National Championships.
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A native of Lytham St. Annes, England, Walton earned his bachelor's degree in sport and exercise science from the University of the Cumberlands in 2013. He and his wife, Carly, have been married since 2017 and have one daughter, Emery.
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