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LeTourneau University Athletic Director Terri Deike has announced the hiring of J. Paul Leslie III as the new YellowJacket men’s and women’s golf coach, effectively immediately.
Leslie joins the YellowJacket family after spending the past two years as a teacher and head men’s golf coach at New Diana High School where he led the Eagles to a fourth-place finish at the UIL class 3A state meet in 2017 before leading the Eagles to a third-place finish at the UIL class 3A state meet this past year. The third-place finish was the first time in school history that any New Diana athletic program had medaled at the state competition.
Leslie has a vast amount of experience working in the golf profession and has served the past 28 years as a PGA Professional. A majority of his time was spent as Head Golf Professional for The Country Club of New Canaan in New Canaan, Connecticut, which is one of the top 100 oldest golf clubs in the United States. While at The Country Club of New Canaan, Leslie restructured all golf shop operations, developed and launched new golf programs, and increased participation by 350 percent from junior golfers, 300 percent from female golfers, and 200 percent from male golfers.
In addition to being a lifetime member of the PGA of America, Leslie is also a nationally recognized instructor and was a US KIDS Top 100 US Instructor from 2005-2008 and was a US KIDS Top 50 US Junior Instructor Nationwide in 2004.
Leslie comes from a golf pedigree as his great-grandfather J. Perry Cole started the LSU golf program and spent 11 years as head coach and is in the Golf Coaches Association of America Hall of Fame. Grandfather J. Paul Leslie Sr. is in the LSU Athletics Hall of Fame for golf while Leslie’s Uncle Perry Leslie was also a PGA Professional and played in 39 PGA Tour events from 1974-1980 which included four top-25 finishes.
A graduate of Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, LA, Leslie golfed collegiately for the Colonels and was part of a high school state championship team. A father of four, Leslie is married to his wife Kimberli and is actively involved in the Diana community.
Matt Kinney
Sports Information Director
Office: 903-233-3735