Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Men's Golf to Open Season Monday
09/06/2002 | 12:00:00 | Men's Golf
Sept. 6, 2002
Carbondale, Ill. - Southern Illinois University's men's golf team will open its 2002 fall season Monday-Tuesday, Sept. 9-10 at the Morton B. Harris Intercollegiate in Jackson, Mo.
2002-03 Season Outlook
Sporting a roster of 10 players deep, the Southern Illinois University men's golf team heads into its 2003 season looking to be a solid contender in the Missouri Valley Conference. And with the return of seven veterans and the addition of three newcomers, it's also safe to say that this year's squad has the potential to be one of the best in school history.
"We should be among the top three in the Valley this season," said head coach Leroy Newton. "We have a lot more depth this year and everyone is positive and has set high goals for themselves. I am excited to see how the team performs."
The 2003 edition of the Salukis will be spearheaded by senior Grant Goltz (Gibson City, Ill.) and sophomore Roger Welch (Benedict, Md.), who will each vye for the team's number one position.
Goltz, who holds a slight advantage for the top spot, registered a 78.5 stroke average last season. Playing in eight tournaments, he fired 11 rounds in the 70s, including a season-best score of 72 which was done on two occasions.
Challenging Goltz, however, will be Welch who joins the Salukis from the College of Southern Maryland where he was both National Junior College Champion and Most Valuable Player. An excellent striker of the ball, Welch appears to have good course management and knows how to win.
"I am expecting Grant to have a breakout season this year," said Newton. "He is capable of playing either of the top two positions, but he wants to be number one. If Ryan plays according to his credentials, he should also be a major threat for us. He has the ability to be one of the top players in the Valley."
While Goltz and Welch are likely to fill the top two positions, seniors Tim Hoss (Champaign, Ill.) and Joshua Wheeler (Bloomington, Ill.), along with juniors Dustin Stewart (Ottumwa, Iowa) and Jason Furlow (DuQuoin, Ill.), will take over the three, four, five and six spots, respectively.
The captains of this year's team, Hoss (No. 3) and Wheeler (No. 5) are each coming off of solid performances. Hoss boasted a fifth-best 77.9 stroke average last season, while Wheeler clubbed a second-best 22 rounds in the 70s.
Meanwhile, Stewart (Indian Hills C.C.) should make an immediate impact at the four position after playing in a strong junior college program which saw him finish fifth in the state of Iowa as a senior and eighth as a junior. Furlow (No. 6), on the other hand, saw limited action playing in just two tournaments a year ago, but enters the 2003 term coming off a strong off-season.
Rounding out the 2003 Salukis are seniors Mark Reuschel (Astoria, Ill.) and Kurt Pfaff (Sparta, Wis.), sophomore Rob Laegeler (Decatur, Ill.) and freshman walk-on Andrew Gwinup (Glen Carbon, Ill.).
Reuschel and Pfaff will each look to have good senior seasons, while Laegeler and Gwinup not only add depth to the team, but look to fight for travelling spots as well.
"We had a good season last year and this year we have the capability to be even better," concluded Newton. "If we remain focused and consistent with our game, I know we can be successful."
