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News
Cougar Golfers Look for Improved Showing
This Spring
written by Dave Parsons, Sports Information Director
MOUNT VERNON, Ohio (3-24-2011) - After a
week of practice rounds in Florida, the
Mount Vernon Nazarene University men’s golf
team will get their 2011 spring season under
way on Friday as the Cougars take part in
the two-day Muskingum University
Invitational held at EagleSticks Golf Course
in South Zanesville.
After posting a disappointing 17-68 overall
record last year, MVNU made positive strides
forward by posting a 15-13 mark in three
tournaments this past fall under the
watchful eye of head coach Mike O’Hara, who
has returned for his second stint guiding
the team.
"I feel that we made great progress last
fall and we carried that into our winter
conditioning program,” said O’Hara, who
posted a 554-226-5 record from 1996-2002 as
the Cougars’ head coach. "We were able to
take advantage of some good weather before
our Florida trip and then some great weather
in Daytona Beach.”
The Cougars return experience in seniors Jay
Ruffner and Cory Palmer along with sophomore
Matt Crouch. Ruffner had a 79.7 average in
the fall, while Palmer had an 82.8 average.
Crouch led the team with a 77.5 average in
the fall.
"Jay is an extremely hard worker, a great
leader, and a talented player,” said O’Hara.
"I look for great things from him this
spring. Cory had a very good off-season in
the weight room and with his added strength
should compete for a top five spot. Matt
works very hard at all areas of his game. He
is coming off a very solid fall season where
he qualified as our number one player. He
has great leadership skills and is very
competitive.”
Freshmen Aaron Hale, Matt Wellman, and Drew
Davis each gained valuable experience in the
fall and will compete for top five spots
this spring. Hale had a 79.7 average,
Wellman posted an 82.3 average, and Davis
registered an 87.8 average.
"Aaron is coming off a very solid fall
campaign where he was our number three man
in every tournament,” said O’Hara. "He works
very hard at his game and should be in the
starting five. Matt also had a solid fall
showing. He has a great attitude toward the
game and a strong will to succeed. As he
plays more, I feel he can become a great
player. Drew also has the potential to crack
the starting lineup after playing as the
number six man in the fall. He also has a
great attitude.”
Junior Alex Carroll and freshmen Randon
McNeil, Nick Stover, and Jake Lawson round
out the roster for the Cougars this spring
and will each compete to make the tournament
team.
"Randon had a great high school career and
shows great promise,” said O’Hara. "He is
very competitive and has a solid golf swing.
Alex is returning after major wrist surgery.
His status is unclear right now, but when he
is healthy he is a top five caliber player.
Nick and Jake are both hard workers who will
continue to get better as they gain more
experience.”
Following the Muskingum Invitational, MVNU
will play in five other regular-season
tournaments. The Cougars will travel to the
Southeastern Kentucky Intercollegiate
Invitational on March 30-April 1, the
University of Saint Francis (Ind.)
Invitational on April 8-9, the Malone
University Invitational on April 15-16, and
the Cedarville University Invitational on
April 25-26. The team will also host their
own MVNU Invitational on April 18-19 at
Chapel Hill Golf Course.
The team will also play for the AMC title on
May 5-6 in the AMC Tournament at Apple
Valley Golf Course with the winner receiving
an automatic berth into the NAIA National
Championship. This is the Cougars’ final
year in the AMC.
"I am looking for strong leadership from our
captains, Jay and Matt,” said O’Hara. "We
have a very competitive schedule this
spring, so we need to be at our best every
time out. Even though we are very young, I
feel that we can be competitive with the
teams on our schedule.” | |
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