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Head Coach
Bill Downes
413-782-1551

Athletics Staff
Tel. 413-782-1202
Fax 413-796-2121

Michael Theulen
Athletics Director

Joe Sassi
Assistant
Athletics Director

Cyndi Costanzo
Assistant Athletics Director

Ken Cerino
Director of Athletic Communications

Kim O'Leary
Head Athletic Trainer

Mike Vallee
Athletic Trainer

Western New England College
Men's Golf Coach
William "Red" (Bill) Downes

The dean of the Western New England College coaching staff, Bill Downes begins his 17th year as the men's golf coach in September 2003.

The Golden Bears enjoyed one of their best seasons last fall winning an ECAC Division III Qualifying Tournament and then placing 12th among 18 schools at the ECAC Championship.

WNEC also captured its third consecutive City of Springfield Championship and finished a respectable 17th among 47 schools (seventh among Division III schools) at the New England Intercollegiate Golf Association (NEIGA) Championship.

Downes was a member of the Western New England College coaching staff and faculty for 33 years, coaching baseball, basketball, and soccer. He amassed 100 victories as a basketball coach and 190 as men's soccer coach, and has enjoyed considerable success in golf.

Although he officially retired in 1999, Downes continues to serve the College in various capacities and is the athletics department number one goodwill ambassador.

Downes was honored by the College by having the Western New England College Athletic Hall of Fame named in his honor in 1999, and he was one of the six original inductees.

Downes also was the guest of honor at the 2002 WNEC Athletics Golf Classic.

Downes resurrected the varsity golf program at WNEC in the 1980's and quickly built it into one of the strongest Division III programs in New England.

In the spring of 2002, WNEC placed third at both the UMass-Dartmouth and Worcester State Invitationals, and 10th among 21 teams at the Massachusetts Intercollegiate Tournament.

WNEC enjoyed a successful 2001 fall season by placing second at an ECAC Division III Qualifying Tournament and seventh among 17 schools at the inaugural ECAC Division III Tournament. The Golden Bears also finished a respectable 15th among 46 teams at the New England Championship (and fourth among 23 schools in the Division III portion of the event).

During the spring of 2001, Western New England College finished fourth at the Division III Shootout Tournament hosted by Williams College and placed fifth at the Massachusetts Intercollegiate Tournament.

In the fall of 2000, his Golden Bears captured the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) and City of Springfield Tournaments. Western New England College also came in 12th among 46 schools at the New England Championship.

Several of Downes' former students now serve as PGA Class A professionals.

Downes and his wife Patricia have four children (Charlene, Bobby, Billy, and Mary) and four grandchildren.

Bobby is the head professional at Veterans Golf Course in Springfield while Billy (who spent four years on the PGA Nike Tour) competes on the pro circuit in New England.

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