For nearly a decade and a half Ken Staton has led the Embry-Riddle men's golf program. The former Florida State All-American boasts an impressive playing resume, having competed on the PGA Tour, Nationwide Tour, and Canadian Tour. Since taking over the Eagle program, Staton's teams have posted seven of the best eight team scoring averages in program history, while all but one of the program's top-10 individual career scoring averages have come during his tenure.
In the summer of 2010, Embry-Riddle announced the hiring of Ken Staton as the head coach of the men’s golf program. Staton assumed the role of head coach after working with Maria Lopez as the assistant coach to both the men’s and women’s programs for two seasons and enters his 15th season at the helm of the men’s team in 2024-25.
Staton had a successful first year as head coach of the men’s program in 2010-11. Individually, Jackson Koert became the first men’s golf All-American under Staton’s leadership, earning third team honors for the second consecutive year. Staton’s team also made a mark in the record books as the Eagle men garnered the lowest team season stroke average in Embry-Riddle history with a 303.3, besting the 2006-07 team’s average of 303.4. Staton’s team also tied the 2006-07 team’s lowest single round of 278 (-4) and tied the 2004-05 and 2009-10 teams for the sixth lowest single round in ERAU history at 286 (-2). Additionally, the 2010-11 team earned three spots in the top 10 for the lowest 54-hole score in a tournament. The team’s 294-278-307=879 at the Camp LeJeune Gold Championship tied for second, while the team’s 297-286-299=882 at the Southeastern Fire Classic and 297-302-296=895 at The Sun Conference Championship put him in fourth and tied for sixth respectively.
In his third season at the helm, Staton led the Blue and Gold to several marks in the Eagle record book. The team narrowly missed out on winning two tournaments, placing in second at the Webber Invitational and the Bash at the Beach. In 2012-13 the team had the best season stroke average in Eagle history with a 301.4. The team also had the fifth lowest 54-hole score in ERAU history with an 887 at the Webber International Invitational, and the seventh lowest 54-hole score with an 891 at the TSC Spring Major at Warner.
In 2012-13 individually, Staton’s team was honored with two NAIA All-American Scholar Athlete selections, one All-Conference and Academic All-Conference selection. His 2013-14 squad also posted highest cumulative grade point average among all ERAU teams of 3.48.
In both the 2015-16 and the 2016-17 campaigns, Staton's squad earned second place finishes at the Eagle Invitational. The 2017-18 squad boasted two Srixon/Cleveland All-America Scholars.
The 2021-22 season saw Staton coach the Eagles to one of the most successful years since becoming a full-time NCAA II member in the fall of 2017. Through 24 rounds over eight tournaments, the Eagles broke the program’s single-season stroke average with a 299.1, beating the previous record set by 2012-13 by 2.3 shots per round. Staton also had an individual selected to the NCAA II South/Southeast Regional, marking the program’s first appearance in an NCAA II national postseason tournament.
Staton's squad continued to improve as the Eagles once again broke team program records in 54-hole score (857, SSC Tournament) and season stroke average (294.7) in 2022-23. Ian Aldarondo also finished with the program record in season (72.4) and career average (74.1). On top of that, Staton coached his program to its first win since 2015 as the Eagles defeated 17 NCAA I programs to win the Daytona Beach Spring Invitational. The Blue and Gold returned to an NCAA II Regional as Staton assisted Aldarondo back to postseason play as an individual where he tied for 27th in a 108-player field.Â
The records continued to tumble in 2023-24 as Staton's team shot the lowest round in the history of the program, a 277 at the season-opening Jay Jennison Cup. The Blue and Gold went on to record its best finish (4th) in a season-opening tournament since 2012. Then at the SSC Championship, Staton coached freshman Edoardo Scialanga to a top-five result and the program's first All-SSC Tournament honoree.Â
Since taking over as head coach, Staton has produced one All-American, one All-Conference selection, one College Sports Communicators Academic All-American and six All-District inclusions, one All-Conference Tournament honoree, 21 recipients of the Division 2 Athletic Directors Association Academic Achievement Award, 90 Academic All-Conference honorees, four NAIA Scholar-Athletes, and two Champions of Character.
A native of Daytona Beach, Staton has a wealth of experience, as he has had great success as a junior-amateur competitor, a collegiate athlete and as a member of several professional tours. Staton played on the PGA Tour from 2002-03, where he garnered two top-five finishes. He was a member of the Nationwide Tour in 1999, 2004, 2005 and 2007 and earned four top-20 finishes during that tenure. Staton was a six-time champion on the Canadian Tour from 1998-01, winning the BC Tel Open, MCTV Benefit Partners Classic, MTS Classic, AMEX SAQ Championship, Telus Open and the Tour Championship Niagara Falls. As a member of the Mini Tours (1995-98), he was a four-time winner of the Tommy Armour and two-time champion of the Riviera Open. Staton also placed second on the 2006 Hooter’s Tour.
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Staton was a four-year letterwinner at Florida State and graduated in 1995 with a bachelor’s degree in Marketing. He was an All-American and team captain in his senior year and led the Seminoles to a seventh place finish at the NCAA DI Championship in 1995, where he placed 14th overall. During the 1994 regular season at FSU, Staton won the Rattler Invitational and the Riviera Open and went on to finish 32nd at the NCAA DI Championship. He was also named a Savane College All-American for the 1994 season.
As a junior-amateur competitor, he finished first at the 1994 Volusia Amateur Championship and second in the 1993 North Florida Amateur. In 1990, he won the AJGA Midwestern Junior and placed second at the AJGA Rolex Tournament of Champions.
Staton also worked as golf instructor and rules official for the Volusia/Flagler Junior Golf Association from 1990-96 and was an assistant golf instructor for Riviera Junior Clinics in 1995. Before officially joining the Embry-Riddle coaching staff, Staton helped the Eagles during winter months and has coached several former Embry-Riddle golfers, most notably Deah Reubel.
Staton currently resides in Daytona Beach with his wife, Sasha, and their two sons, Nash and Callahan.
