Michael Cotton enters his second season as a graduate assistant with the University of South Alabama men’s golf program.
He joined the staff after completing his undergraduate degree at Texas A&M. Prior to attending Texas A&M, he competed for at North Texas for two seasons before transferring to Houston in the fall of 2016. Cotton was part of a Mean Green squad that claimed the 2015 Conference USA championship — winning both of his matches in match play — while also helping the program earn the title at the Quail Valley Intercollegiate in the fall of 2015 with rounds of 75, 73 and 68 to tie for 12th individually. He competed in a total of nine tournaments his freshman year, posting a 73.76 scoring average as the team finished the season at the NCAA New Haven Regional after winning the league championship. In his sophomore year, he played in all 12 events and posted a 73.97 scoring average as the season end at the NCAA Tucson Regional.
Cotton also participated in many individual events during his collegiate career highlighted by winning the 106th Texas Amateur Championship after his freshman campaign by firing rounds of 66-71-67 to pick up medalist honors by three shots. He also tied for 12th at the 2015 South Beach International Amateur — where he carded rounds of 70-73-68-76 — in one of the strongest fields of the year.
Cotton still competes, finishing tied for sixth at the Greater Houston Amateur Championship with rounds of 72-70-72-72 last fall as well as among the top 35 at the 2018 Texas Amateur Championship after posting scores of 76-76-77-74 at the No. 1 course in Texas, Whispering Pines.
A native of Katy, Texas, Cotton led Cinco Ranch High School to four consecutive state championship appearances; the Cougars were one of only eight schools to accomplish the feat during that stretch. A regular member of the school’s ‘A’ team, he won multiple events throughout his high school career and also qualified for the 2013 U.S. Junior Amateur Championship during his time in junior golf.
Cotton received his undergraduate degree in economics from Texas A&M in 2018.
