Steve Colnitis Position: Assistant Coach Alma Mater: Notre Dame '05

Steve Colnitis, a member of two BIG EAST Conference championship teams and two NCAA Central Regional qualifying squads at Notre Dame from 2001-05, just completed his second year as an assistant coach for the Irish. Colnitis (pronounced coal-NIGHT-iss) aids in many of the day-to-day operations of the men's golf program, including recruiting, practice planning and travel scheduling.

In his two seasons on the Notre Dame staff, Colnitis helped guide the Irish to the 2006 BIG EAST Conference title and the corresponding NCAA regional berth before a runner-up finish at this year's BIG EAST Championship. He also was instrumental in Notre Dame's school-record 292.97 stroke average in 2005-06, and 295.71 mark this past year (second-best in school history). What's more, Colnitis already is putting his stamp on the Irish program as a recruiter. Top 50 standout Doug Fortner headlined a sharp '06-07 incoming class, while a pair of golfers in next season's freshman class -- Dustin Zhang and Jeffrey Chen -- both are ranked among the top 75 graduating seniors in the nation for the Class of 2007.

"Steve adds so much energy and enthusiasm to our program," Notre Dame head coach Jim Kubinski said. "Our players respect his dedication a great deal and, to a man, sense just how much he cares about their development. He also has done an excellent job in our recruiting efforts, always going the extra mile. We're certainly very fortunate to have Steve not only as a coach, but as a representative of Notre Dame. As much as he's added to our program, he exceeds any and all accolades as a person."

"I am very excited to be a part of the Notre Dame community," Colnitis said. "I have had the pleasure of seeing our team improve tremendously during my playing career and I am thrilled to continue being a part of our team's success."

Colnitis joined the Irish coaching staff in 2005 following a four-year career on the Notre Dame men's golf team, earning a pair of monograms along the way. He competed in 13 tournaments during his career, posting a 77.86 stroke average, and his best finish was a tie for 17th place in a dual match against 11th-ranked TCU in April 2005. He also registered a 20th-place finish at the BIG EAST Championship as a freshman in 2002. In '05-06, Colnitis served as a tri-captain for the Irish, helping Notre Dame earn its second consecutive BIG EAST title and a return trip to the NCAA Central Regional. There, the Irish wound up a mere two strokes shy of advancing to the NCAA Championship for the first time since 1966.

Colnitis graduated from Notre Dame in May 2005, earning his bachelor's degree in marketing from the Mendoza College of Business. He also garnered Dean's List honors during the fall 2004 semester. Born Sept. 15, 1982, in Baltimore, Md., Colnitis now resides in South Bend.