![Guilford Leads ODAC Men's Golf Coaches' Poll](/sports/golf/2013-14/photos/2014-mgolf-poll-graphic.png)
H-SC Garners First Place Consideration, W&L and BC Separated by One Vote for Third
FOREST, Va. --- Guilford College received eight
first place votes on the way to 80 total points to top the 2014
ODAC Men's Golf Coaches' Poll. Hampden-Sydney College picked
up two top nods on the way to 74 tallies. Washington and Lee
University (61 points) and Bridgewater College (60 points) are
separated by just one vote for third in the conference's first
men's golf survey.
The 2012-13 season saw Guilford stand atop the championship
standings for the third straight year and ODAC record 13th overall
time. The Quakers posted the round of the tournament (289) on
day three on the Palmer Course at Bay Creek Resort & Club,
turning a tight two-stroke advantage after 36 holes into 23-stroke
triumph. Three Quakers placed within the top-five in the
individual rankings, led by Noah Ratner (224) and Drew Thompson
(229) finishing first and second, respectively.
Guilford's season continued in the 2013 NCAA Division III National
Championships at Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort in Destin,
Fla. GC opened with team rounds of 307 and 305 to place 17th
after the first two days, which missed the top-15 team cutline by
six strokes. Ratner, however, rallied to win a five-man
playoff to secure the last individual qualification spot into the
final two rounds. Ratner finished the tournament 12th overall
(eight-over 293), earning his second straight Ping First Team
All-America honor.
The 2014 ODAC Men's Golf Championships will move locations for the
first time in five years. Rock Barn Golf & Spa will
welcome the league's men's and women's programs to Conover, N.C.,
on April 27-29. Rock Barn has become a regular stop on the
PGA's Champions Tour, which includes the Greater Hickory Kia
Classic on October 17-19.
Ten all-conference golfers returned to courses across the ODAC this
past fall as teams competed in a series of events before closing up
shop during the winter months. Guilford (295.8 per round
average in 10 rounds played this fall) and reigning ODAC Coach of
the Year Corey Maggard feature three such athletes, including a
pair from the All-ODAC First Team in Thompson (74.8 strokes/round
average in 10 rounds played this fall) and Nick Shedd.
Thompson aslo picked up Third Team Ping All-America honors, while
Shedd doubled as the ODAC/Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete in
2013. Dallas Page (74.6; 10 rounds), who finished fifth at
the 2013 ODAC championships, picked up All-ODAC Second Team honors,
while Travis Tolbert (77.0; 7 rounds) earned a spot on the All-ODAC
Third Team. Six Quakers posted averages within the
conference's top-10 this past fall, led by Shedd (4 rounds) and
newcomer Tanner Gross (10 rounds) tied for third with 73.8 per
round marks. Shedd highlighted the Quakers' fall by winning
the O'Briant-Jensen Memorial, while Gross placed in the top-10 in
3-of-4 events competed with one top-five showing. Guilford
enters the spring as the fourth-ranked team in the latest Golf
World/Nike Golf Division III Coaches' Poll.
Hampden-Sydney (297.1; 9 rounds), ranked 18th in the Golf
World/Nike Golf D-III Coaches' Poll, welcomes back third team
choice George Whiting (76.2; 9 rounds), in addition to former first
team selection (2012) Rick O'Connell (72.9; 7 rounds).
O'Connell, who won the Ted Keller Memorial in October, is second to
teammate Brian Burt (72.8; 9 rounds) on the conference's average
lists coming into the spring season. Burt placed in the
top-five in 4-of-5 tournaments participated, including an
individual victory at the Virginia State Intercollegiate. The
Tigers will also rely upon the championship experience of Drew
Arnold (76.4; 9 rounds) and Trey Cully (76.7; 9 rounds).
Washington and Lee's (303.1; 8 rounds) deep squad is led by first
honoree Teddy Corcoran (76.3; 3 rounds) and third teamer Patrick
Clossin (75.6; 5 rounds). Corcoran competed in just two
events in the fall, but that included a tie for second place at the
Virginia State Intercollegiate. Newcomer Conley Hurst (74.3;
8 rounds) burst on the scene in the fall, ranking fifth in
individual average. The Generals depth also includes Cody
Solomon (76.8; 8 rounds), Todd Alan McDonald (77.0; 8 rounds) and
Joey Manzinger (81.14; 7 rounds).
Bridgewater (306.8; 9 rounds) is four years removed from winning
its first ODAC title in 2010. The Eagles welcome back third
team honoree Matt Dye (77.1; 9 rounds), who has already been in the
winner's circle in 2013-14 after claiming the individual title at
the Tom Kinder Memorial. Elijah Tackett (76.6; 9 rounds) owns
BC's best average from the fall, while Tyler Weeks (77.2; 9 rounds)
and Rhett Martin (79.9; 7 rounds) give the Eagles four scoring
players averaging less than 80 strokes per round.
Roanoke College (314.2; 9 rounds) will look to the championship
experience of Andrew Butts (77.8; 9 rounds) and Jack Prater (79.7;
9 rounds) to set the tone this spring. Newcomer Alex Taylor
(75.3; 9 rounds) had the most success in the fall, posting a pair
of top-five showings and three top-10 finishes in five starts.
Shenandoah University (315.3; 9 rounds) embarks on its second
season under the ODAC banner after the Hornets became a full-time
member in July 2012. Doc Shulte (77.0; 9 rounds) posted SU's
best fall average, while Brennan Lloyd (78.0; 7 rounds) finished
inside the top-10 twice with one top-five performance in four
events competed. Schulte recorded the ODAC's lowest round in
the fall, posting a five-under 67 at the Chik Fil-A Collegiate in
late September. Cory Hammons (79.1; 9 rounds) also cards
sub-80 rounds on average.
Randolph-Macon College (320.7; 9 rounds) features the lone
remaining All-ODAC returner in first team choice Kyle Fuller (74.7;
9 rounds). Fuller placed in the top-five in three events in
the fall, including a tie for second at the Ted Keller
Memorial. Bobby Bradshaw (82.1; 7 rounds), Dalton Taylor
(82.8; 9 rounds) and Wes Bourdon (83.1; 9 rounds) look forward to
strong spring campaigns.
Virginia Wesleyan College (324.8; 9 rounds) and Lynchburg College
(335.9; 7 rounds) both look to new faces for success in 2014.
Five first-year athletes dot the Marlins' roster, with Caleb Martin
(78.4; 9 rounds) starting off his collegiate career on the right
foot in the fall. Trevor Klein (80.9; 9 rounds) looks poised
to join Martin as a sub-80 player. Lynchburg does feature
championship experience in Ned Jensen (80.9; 7 rounds), who led LC
in average in the fall. The Hornets will also look for strong
contributions from Jeff Brochetti (83.0; 7 rounds) and Scott
Stevens (85.0; 7 rounds).
Eastern Mennonite University (336.1; 7 rounds) took to the links
for the first time in 2012-13 and looks to continue to build upon
that foundation. Josh Alderfer (79.4; 7 rounds) followed up a
top-20 showing in the ODAC Championships with a solid fall
season. Caleb Schlabach (84.0; 7 rounds) and Mark Shaner
(84.0; 7 rounds) also feature in the Royals' lineup.
The spring season begins Monday, February 24, with several
programs heading to Southern Pines, N.C., to compete in the Pine
Needles Intercollegiate at Pine Needles Lodge & Golf
Club. For more information on ODAC men's golf, visit any of
the participating schools’ websites or go to the ODAC’s
home on the Internet at www.odaconline.com.
Don't forget to become a fan of the ODAC on Facebook and follow @odacathletics on
Twitter.
2014 ODAC MEN'S GOLF COACHES' POLL
(#) Denotes first place votes
1. Guilford (8) | 80 pts. |
2. Hampden-Sydney (2) | 74 pts. |
3. Washington and Lee | 61 pts. |
4. Bridgewater | 60 pts. |
5. Roanoke | 47 pts. |
6. Shenandoah | 38 pts. |
7. Randolph-Macon | 35 pts. |
8. Virginia Wesleyan | 25 pts. |
9. Lynchburg | 19 pts. |
10. Eastern Mennonite | 11 pts. |