UPIKE Athletics

2021-22 marks Kevin Auton's first season as an assistant coach with the men's golf program. After being the head coach for 10 seasons, Auton hands over the reigns to a former player of his, Dustyn Reinstetle in 2021-22.

Auton began his collegiate coaching career at Pikeville in 2011-12, earning Mid-South Conference Co-Coach of the Year honors after leading the Bears to a sixth-place finish in the league championship with a then-school record of 987 strokes.

Since then, Auton has led UPIKE to MSC Championship finishes as high as fourth twice in 2014 and 2016 with a program-record 914 strokes recorded in 2016. Auton received his second MSC Coach of the Year honor following the 2015 season.

Auton has helped the Bears win 16 regular-season tournaments and has coached five All-MSC selections and one MSC Freshman of the Year in Saul Lanigan in 2016. He has also coached four Mid-South Conference Golfers of the Week.

In 1979, Auton was a first team all-state golfer at Pikeville High School and finished sixth individually in the Kentucky High School State Championships. Auton then went to Morehead State University on a golf scholarship where he lettered all four years and was a member of the 1982 OVC Championship team that defeated a Western Kentucky University team lead by PGA great Kenny Perry. Auton was Co-Captain of the MSU Eagles in both his junior and senior seasons.

After college, Auton became the head golf professional at Jenny Wiley State Park from 1984-90. In 1990, he went back to Morehead State as the head golf professional/golf course manager for the university-owned golf course. During his time there he taught university P.E. courses for golf. In 1992 and 1993, Auton also coached the Rowan County High School golf team.

In 1993, Auton returned to his hometown of Pikeville as the Chief Deputy Property Valuation Administrator for Pike County, a position he still holds in addition to his coaching duties. Auton has continued to play golf competitively across the Commonwealth, winning most of the major amateur titles available across Eastern Kentucky.

Auton’s greatest golfing accomplishment post-college is the 59 he fired to win the Paintsville Pro-Am in 2009.

Auton’s MSC Championship Finishes by Season