With four of the team’s top six players returning from last year along with two key transfers, MVNU has a roster loaded with experience for second-year Cougar head coach Mark Stiverson, who guided the squad to a 57-55 overall record last season.

"After a great fall season, we are expecting an even greater spring campaign,” said Stiverson, who led the team to a 34-12-2 fall mark that included a fifth-place finish at the National Christian College Athletic Association national tournament out of a record 25 teams. "Our spring schedule is much tougher as we have entered in two different and highly competitive tournaments. The NAIA Classic is an invitation-only tournament in Indianapolis with a lot of the top teams in the NAIA coming to it. The other tournament will be the Indiana Wesleyan University Invitational. We will be considered an underdog in both of these fields, but this is the kind of competition that we want.”

Senior Derek Clark will lead the Cougars as he wraps up a stellar four-year career. He earned a spot on the American Mideast Conference Team last year and led the team with a 76.4 average. He also posted a 76.9 average this fall and finished tied for 13th individually at the NCCAA national tournament.

Juniors Tim Hepner (79.9 average) and Anthony Savage (78.0 average) return with another year of experience under their belts. Hepner posted a 75.9 average in the fall and tied the school record with a three-under-par 141 at the Malone College Invitational. Meanwhile, Savage, who posted a 77.3 fall average, tied with Clark for 13th place at the NCCAA national tournament. Sophomore Jared Schlabach also returns after posting an 81.5 average as a freshman and a 79.3 average in two fall tournaments.

Junior Preston Knight and sophomore Tyler Tinch are two transfers who will help the Cougars in their first year on the squad. Knight led the team in the fall with a 74.9 average, while Tinch posed a 77.0 fall average. They will be joined by sophomores Matt Kerns and Doug Frederick and freshmen Justin Chappelear and Tyler Wenger.

"From top to bottom, we have a strong tournament team,” said Stiverson. "While there is a slight stroke average distinction, each of these guys carries their own weight and all have room to step it up a notch or so. That is what will be needed this spring for us to be successful and to meet our expectations. There are also a couple of guys chomping at the bit who are not far behind. I can see them making headway this spring and challenging a few spots.”

"This is a great bunch of players,” Stiverson added. "They are a team and act as one. Each one is looking out for each other and trying to help each other to achieve not only the team goals but their individual goals. There is no selfishness on this team.”

Prior to teeing off the spring portion of their schedule, the Cougars, who received votes in the NAIA preseason poll, will head to Brooksville, Florida, for a week of practice rounds at the World Woods Golf Center. Then, the team will get the season under way with the Southeastern Kentucky Intercollegiate Invitational hosted by the University of the Cumberlands (Ky.) on March 29-30.

"Execution will be the key this spring,” said Stiverson. "All the elements are in place. We have assembled the talent, we are in the right tournaments, we have been training all winter, and we are making a special spring break trip to Florida for practice. We have no excuses.”

From there, MVNU will take part in five other regular-season tournaments: the Indiana Wesleyan University Invitational (April 6-7), the Walsh University Invitational (April 9-10), the Cougars’ own MVNU Invitational (April 13-14), the NAIA Classic hosted by Indiana Wesleyan (April 16-17), and the Malone College Invitational (April 20-21).

Then, the Cougars will take part in the 2007 AMC/NAIA Region IX Tournament on May 3-4 at Apple Valley Golf Course with an automatic berth in the NAIA national tournament on the line. This year’s NAIA national tournament will take place in Plymouth, Indiana, on May 22-25.