Giancola Joins Blue Devil Men's Golf Coaching Staff

Central Connecticut alum Kevin Giancola, '89, will join the men's golf coaching staff for the 2008-09 season. Giancola, an accomplished instructor and player, will assist head coach Ed Batogowski with all aspects of the program.

Giancola, who currently serves as the Director of Instruction and Head Professional at the Golf Quest Academy and Sports Center in Southington, CT, has 18 years of experience as a golf professional and 12 years experience as a PGA professional. A Class 'A' PGA member, he has held his current position since 2000. Previously, Giancola worked as the Head Professional at The Shattuck Inn and Golf Club in Jaffrey, NH from 1998-99.

As an instructor, Giancola has conducted over 25,000 individual lessons. He was voted Connecticut's best golf instructor by CT Golfer Magazine in 2001, 2002 and 2003. Additionally, he was nominated for the Connecticut section PGA Teacher of the Year on five separate occasions. A coach of nine NCAA Division I, II and III student-athletes, Giancola served as the swing coach for Southington High School during its back-to-back runners-up finishes at the CIAC Class L State Championships in 2006 and 2007. He has also taught three Connecticut high school individual state champions, two CSGA mid-amateur champions and a two-time Connecticut amateur champion.

Giancola played at CCSU from 1985-88, helping lead the Blue Devils to a third place finish at the 1985 NCAA Division II National Championship while also winning a total of nine individual titles. After graduating from Central Connecticut, Giancola collected three Connecticut section PGA Player of the Year awards, a New England Golf Journal Player of the Year honor, two CSGA Player of the Year distinctions and the Bill Lee Award for Connecticut's top male athlete. He also won the Connecticut State Open in 1987, 1988 and 1994.

A member of the Nationwide (Nike) Tour in 1995, Giancola competed in 27 events. He made 17 cuts and posted two top-10 finishes. He has also competed in 16 PGA Tour events, including the 1993 United States Open.

The creator and current co-host of 360 Degrees of Golf on Nutmeg Television and a former staff writer for the New England Golf Journal, Giancola earned a degree in sports management from CCSU. He was an Academic All-American in 1987 and 1988.