GREAT MIDWEST ATHLETIC CONFERENCE
2014 Men’s Golf Coaches’ Poll - Spring Preview
The 2013-14 Great Midwest Athletic Conference Men’s Golf season will be the G-MAC’s first season as an active NCAA Division II conference, and the field of competitive teams has expanded from its inaugural season in 2012-13.
Trevecca Nazarene University returns as the defending G-MAC Champion, after capturing the title with a three-round total of 920. The 2013-14 season will see a field of six teams participating in the conference championship tournament, hosted by the conference office at a neutral location. The tournament will take place at the Glenview Golf Course just north of Cincinnati, Ohio on April 22 and 23, 2014.
Trevecca was identified as the team to beat in 2013-14, topping the conference preseason coaches’ poll, earning five of the first place votes. The Trojans captured the title last season over Cedarville by 26 points, but the Yellow Jackets return its top performers and have added some young talent in an attempt to battle for the championship. However, Cedarville was slotted behind Davis & Elkins, who the coaches identified as the second best program in the conference.
The Senators lead the group of newcomers to the G-MAC, which feature #4 Kentucky Wesleyan, #5 Alderson Broaddus, and #6 Ohio Valley. The depth in the conference is good, and the tournament should be a difficult battle for anyone to be an overwhelming favorite going into the final weeks of the season in late April.
G-MAC PRESEASON COACHES’ POLL
Rank School Pts
1. Trevecca Nazarene University (5 First Place votes) 25
2. Davis & Elkins (1 First Place Vote) 19
3. Cedarville University 17
4. Kentucky Wesleyan College 15
5. Alderson Broaddus University 8
6. Ohio Valley College 6
NOTES FROM CAMPUS
Alderson Broaddus University: The Battlers began a relaunch in the fall of 2013, as Alderson Broaddus fielded a team for competition for the first time since the 1970’s. The Battlers played in four events during the fall season, with the best finish coming at the Yellow Jacket Invitational with a sixth place finish. The Battlers’ fall roster consisted of seven freshmen and one junior, easily making them one of, if not the youngest team in the country.
The spring season gets started with a trip to Trevecca Nazarene and will be an immediate test for the Battler men. Freshman James ‘Adam’ Jeffries will be a vital player to watch for the Battlers and should lead the team in scoring average.
According to Coach Schiffbauer “James is a tall, athletic kid who just knows how to manage his game and his emotions. His approach to the game is ahead of his age and he will be one of the best players in the conference before too long.” He will be joined by fellow freshman Qunicy Fraley to make-up the projected 1-2 combination for the Battlers. “We can, but we won’t make the excuse that we are so young. Each of these guys was told from the time they took their recruiting visit that they had to be ready to grind right away. I’m proud of this team and we should have a successful spring season.”
Cedarville University: The Yellow Jackets hope to resume the momentum it captured at the end of the fall season when the Jackets placed 11th in the NCCAA National Championship in Florida. Four players have their season averages under 80 heading into the five remaining spring tournaments.
Freshman Jordan Reese is leading the way thus far with a 75.91 average. His highlight was firing a one-over par 75-70-145 to win Cedarville’s Yellow Jacket Fall Invitational.
Reigning G-MAC Golfer of the Year Jacob Forsythe is averaging 77.36. The junior opened the season tying for fourth place at the Ohio Dominican Classic (76-73-149) and he later tied for 39th in the NCAA Division II Fall Midwest Regional #1 with 75-75-150. Senior Jacob Nafziger is averaging 77.55 while freshman Taylor Holt is at 79.22. Jordan Glick is next at 80.11.
Cedarville plays at Trevecca Nazarene on March 24-25 before hosting its 33rd annual invitational on April 3. The Jackets wrap up the regular season at the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional #3 and Regional #4 prior to playing in the G-MAC Championship
Davis & Elkins: The Senators come into the spring, playing some great golf in the fall. Playing in two events to start the season, hosted by G-MAC opponents Cedarville and Ohio Valley - Davis and Elkins finished second, seven strokes behind Trevecca Nazarene, at the Cedarville Invitational to open the season. Two weeks later, they won the Ohio Valley Invitational.
In a challenging field at the Midwest Regional in Chicago, D&E placed 11th, shooting a team score of 599. The fall wrapped up at the California (Pa.) Challenge, claiming another second place finish.
Individually, Liam Ainsworth, who was named G-MAC Golfer of the Month in September, posted a tie for third at the Cedarville Invitational. Ainsworth finished in a three-way tie for third with teammate Sebastian Bendsen and Cedarville's Jacob Nafzinger.
The three all scored a two-round total of 147, just two strokes behind champion Jordan Reese of Cedarville. He improved upon his performance the next week at the Ohio Valley Invitational in which he placed in a tie for second with a two round total of 144, just one stroke this time behind medalist Evan Muscari of Concord University.
In the biggest tournament field of the month at the Midwest NCAA DII Regional in Chicago, Ainsworth helped guide his team to an 11th place finish, highest among the G-MAC schools with his 17th place individual finish. He shot a two-day score of 147 (75-72), which was good enough for second among all G-MAC golfers individually, three strokes behind the top G-MAC finisher Patrick Schirmer of Kentucky Wesleyan. Overall his 17th place finish individually was only five strokes behind the tournament champion from Grand Valley State.
Kentucky Wesleyan College: The Panthers gained some experience in the fall, participating in five tournaments, finishing among the middle of the pack in all the tournaments - though they did win a three team tri-match with Brescia and Oakland City.
Individually they will rely on senior Patrick Hibbs, who tied for 17th place at the NCAA Midwest Regional tournament, posting a two-day total of 150 (79-71), leading his team to a 18th place finish of 23 teams in the field. The roster features 12 players, deeper than most rosters in the conference. Hibbs and fellow seniors Jordan Gary and John Shelman will be pushed by three juniors, a sophomore, and four freshman.
Going up directly against conference opponents, KWC finished fifth at the Yellow Jackets Invitational, which featured all six teams in conference. This tournament more than likely will be the measuring stick for previewing the championship, but considering the championship tournament will take place seven months after the tournament in Cedarville - much will have changed and experience gained. Kentucky Wesleyan will look to climb the rankings and finish among the top group of favorites.
Ohio Valley University: The Fighting Scots have a deep roster of nine players, with only one senior and one junior. The team will look to its youth as they have four sophomores and three freshmen. The team is not expected to compete for the title with such a young roster, but the experience gained and with depth, then have a chance to grow and build a base for a solid program.
In the team’s first fall tournament, the Cedarville Invitational, the Scots finished ninth in a field of nine. The top two golfers on the team were sophomore Jorge Herrera, who shot a 150 (73-77) and tied for eighth overall as an individual, and freshman Brandyn Offenberger, who had a 163 (84-79).
This shows that the team has the talent to compete, but OVU needs to find the #3 and #4 golfers who can produce. Between Herrera and Offenberger, their two scores compared to the other eight teams at the Cedarville Invitational would have placed them sixth instead of their final ranking of ninth.
OVU also played host to an event in late September, welcoming a field of 12 teams that featured three G-MAC schools. Once again Herrera placed fourth, but the rest of his team finished from 42nd to 62nd in a field of 63.
Trevecca Nazarene University: The Trojans had a successful fall program, highlighted by the team winning the Cedarville Invitational, a field that included all of the G-MAC men’s golf programs. Sophomore Tyler Phillips placed second in the event with a 75-71=146. The team also recorded a fourth place finish at The Buccaneer, hosted by Christian Brothers University, in Tunica, Miss.
Senior Stephen Williams, the defending G-MAC Championship Medalist, topped the Trojans scoring in the fall with his 77.11 average. Logan Martin, a sophomore, was close behind with a 77.33 average round and Tyler Phillips was also sub 78 with a 77.67 average.
The spring schedule features five tournaments, highlighted by the Trevecca Invitational at the Old Hickory Country Club in Old Hickory, Tenn. The other tournaments include a visit to the NCAA Division I UT-Martin tournament, the Tennessee River Rumble hosted by Lincoln Memorial University, the TSU Big Blue Classic (NCAA DI), and the season-ending G-MAC Championship.
Coach Robbie Wilson says consistency will be a key in the spring, “This fall we had an average of 301 in our top six rounds. In the other three, we averaged 322.3. To be one of the top teams in our conference and region, we will need to consistently bring our “A” game week in, week out.”
The team is led by senior captain Stephen Williams. Logan Martin, Tyler Phillips, and Aaron Burnett are all sophomores that have provided strong contributions in their first year and half in college. Freshmen Spencer Scarbrough and junior Austin Dillard will be counted on for more in the second semester to help produce another strong team effort in the spring.
In conclusion, Wilson said, “I am excited about starting the spring season. This team has three wins in the past year and a half and I feel that they know what it takes to play well under pressure. The key for us is doing that consistently. They are working every day at getting better and we have certain goals that we look to achieve at the end of the year.”