The Williams College men's golf team will be seeking to repeat as NESCAC Fall Qualifier champions this weekend in Amherst and earn hosting privileges for the NESCAC Automatic Qualifier for the NCAA Tournament next spring on their home course the Taconic Golf Club.
The top four teams this weekend in Amherst will advance to the NESCAC Automatic Qualifier for the NCAA Tournament at the site of the top team this weekend in the spring
Last year in Middlefield, CT the Ephs held off Trinity College to win the Fall Qualifier by two shots.
At the 2011 event all five Eph golfers broke 150 in the two-day event. Jake Goldenring ' led with a 146, followed by Dylan Dethier and Matt McCarron at 147, while Ross Bowen and Cody Semmelrock each shot 149. In addition, all five Ephs earned All-NESCAC honors with Goldenring, Dethier and McCarron named to the First Team and Bowen and Semmelrock earning Second Team recognition.
Eph head coach Rick Pohle in his 29th season at Williams will be leading the Ephs for the final time at the NESCAC Fall Qualifier, as he will retire at the end of the fall season. "It's a little bittersweet knowing this is the last time I will be coaching at the NESCAC Fall Qualifier," stated Pohle. "The team is excited and confident, but not to the point of being over confident. I think they learned a lot from the experience at Middlebury -- take nothing for granted."
Pohle will select five golfers from a pool of six who have stood out this fall. Eph candidates to compete in Amherst this weekend include four juniors, a sophomore and a freshman. The juniors are Jake Abrahams, Ross Bowen, Dylan Dethier, and Matt McCarron. The sophomore is Jake Goldenring and the freshman is Michael Stone.
"Every year we set the goal of winning the Fall NESCAC Qualifier," said Jake Abrahams. "This year it would be even more special to win it for Coach in his last season at the head of the program. He has played an instrumental role in my development as well as the team's. Hopefully we can go to Amherst and secure our third win of the season."
"Winning the home tournament for Coach was one of our priorities," said Ross Bowen. "We were thrilled to celebrate his last home event with a victory, and we hope to do the same this weekend at Amherst for the conference qualifier. I think our performance so far this year, coupled with a good week of practice, will prepare us well for a good showing at Hickory Ridge."
"This will be a competitive tournament as Middlebury is always strong, Amherst has the home course, Trinity is deep, and Hamilton has Greg Scott who can carry a team," Pohle pointed out.
Amherst College will play host to the NESCAC Fall Championship Qualifier at Hickory Ridge Golf Club in Amherst, Mass. this weekend. The two-day, 36-hole event includes defending NESCAC champion Middlebury College, which earned its fourth conference title in six years last spring. The highest finisher earns the right to host the spring championship round at its home course along with the remaining top three teams from the qualifier. Action gets underway on Saturday, September 29 around 10:30 a.m. and wraps up on Sunday, September 30.
Results for the NESCAC Golf Championship Qualifier will be available at the completion of each day at www.nescac.com.
2012 NESCAC Golf Championship Qualifier
at Hickory Ridge Golf Club - Amherst, Mass.
Day One - Saturday, September 29
Wave 1 - Amherst, Hamilton, Middlebury - 10:30 a.m.
Wave 2 - Bowdoin, Colby, Tufts - 11:10 a.m.
Wave 3 - Bates, Trinity, Wesleyan, Williams - 11:50 a.m.
Day Two - Sunday, September 30
Wave 1 - Three teams with Highest Cumulative Score from Day One - 10:30 a.m.
Wave 2 - Next three teams with Highest Cumulative Score from Day One - 11:10 a.m.
Wave 3 - Remaining four teams – 11:50 a.m.
