COLUMBIA — Fr. Tolton Catholic High School has filled all five of its available coaching positions for the 2019-2020 school year, Interim Athletic Director Gary Link announced this morning. The following coaches have been hired: Michael Egnew, Head Football Coach; Allison McGough, Head Girls Tennis Coach; Elizabeth Best, Head Volleyball Coach; Don Barnes, Assistant Volleyball Coach; Renee Hulshof, Head Dance Coach.
“I am excited to welcome all five of these coaches to the Tolton Catholic coaching family,” Link said. “Each of these coaches will bring positive energy and a passion for their sport. I very much look forward to working with each of them.”
Since Link’s hiring on March 5 he has consistently stressed the importance of each coach’s responsibility to make the experience for students and student-athletes the best possible. Link believes the five new coaches will be an excellent fit for Tolton Catholic and his vision for the athletic department.
“Our common mission for each and every coach must be to do our absolute best for our students and student athletes to help them grow, have fun competing in their sport, develop relationships and friendships with their teammates, and respect the game,” Link said.
Link says that his coaches will be evaluated on how well they treat their student-athletes, their sport, their opponents, and most importantly, how they prepare students for life after they graduate from Fr. Tolton Catholic High School.
Michael Egnew will take over as head football coach for outgoing coach and Athletic Director Chad Masters. Egnew played tight end for the University of Missouri football team from 2008-2011. He was an All-Big 12 first team selection in both 2010 and 2011, an All-American in 2010, and was selected in the third round of the 2012 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins. After his professional career, Egnew started API Project Fitness with fellow Mizzou football player Jerrell Jackson, a Tolton Catholic assistant coach in 2018. Egnew also served as a volunteer coach at Tolton Catholic in 2015.
Allison McGough has been involved in tennis for more than 30 years as a player, coach, parent, and administrator. She coached both high school boys and girls tennis in North Carolina and has been president of Booster Clubs and served on many more. She and her husband John are the parents of Tolton Catholic Junior Aaron McGough.
Elizabeth Best, a recent teaching hire and current assistant track and field coach, will be the next Trailblazers Head Volleyball Coach. Best graduated from the University of Missouri in 2018 and currently teaches History and British Literature at Tolton Catholic.
Best will be joined on her staff by assistant coach Don Barnes who served as a volunteer coach with the team last season. He and his wife Sherri are the parents of Tolton Catholic Junior Olivia Barnes and will have a freshman at Tolton Catholic next year.
Renee Hulshof will take on the role of Head Dance Coach for the Tolton Blazer Girls. After graduating from MU with a Bachelors of Journalism, Renee has worked in PR and communications for 28 years. She organized and assisted with the founding of Tolton’s Blazers Girls in 2014. Hulshof is in the process of hiring a choreographer while she manages and directs the team. She and her husband Kenny are the parents of Tolton Catholic sophomore Hanna Hulshof.
CONTACT:
Joe Bradley
Communications Coordinator