Leading the squad will be All-OAC seniors Nick Bryan (Zanesville/ Bishop Rosecrans) and Mike Falk (Strongsville), who were both named Division III Cleveland Golf/ Srixon All-America Scholars by the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) in 2008-2009.

 

"We return some solid players who have both talent and experience," said Heil. "Both Nick (Bryan) and Mike (Falk) will be among the top returning players in the conference. In addition, we return five other players who have the ability to be in our top five as well as push Nick and Mike to be even better.  Overall, we have the talent to challenge for an OAC title, and we�re definitely excited to get started."

       

This past spring, Bryan earned his second All-OAC honor as he placed tied for ninth as an individual at the 2009 OAC Championship Tournament.  Bryan led the team in both the fall and spring seasons with 18-hole stroke averages of 74.55 and 75.79, respectively.  He also fired career-low rounds of 69 at the Muskingum Tournament in both the spring and fall seasons and holds the school-record with a 74.00 stroke average, set during the 2007 fall season. In addition, Bryan was named Academic All-OAC At-Large and an ESPN THE MAGAZINE Academic All-District IV pick the past two seasons.

       

"Nick is an outstanding student and athlete," said Heil. "He is emblematic of the student-athlete philosophy. Nick also is a team leader who motivates his teammates through his strong work ethic. We are looking for Nick to have a great senior season."

 

Although Falk missed the 2008 fall season while studying abroad, he returned in the spring to be the Jackets No.2 golfer with a 78.86 stroke average in 14 rounds played. Falk carded a career-low 69 on the second day of the OAC Spring Invite and also placed eighth individually at the 2008 OAC Championships to earn All-OAC status. He enters his senior year with a 78.42 stroke average in 30 tournaments and 57.5 total rounds.

 

Also back for Yellow Jackets are seniors Cory Swaisgood (Fremont/ St. Joseph's Central Catholic) and Tom Jesko (Salem/ Senior), juniors Matt Weiss (Concord/ Mentor) and Brian Routhieaux (Gibsonia, Pa./ Mars Area) and sophomore Ricky Jaskolski (North Royalton/ Parma Padua Franciscan).

 

"The real key to our season will be the improvement these five young men have made as well as the progress that our incoming freshmen make," said Heil. "We know that the five veterans have what it takes to help us be successful. If they can do it in a consistent fashion, we will be a very strong team."

 

Swaisgood played in all six tournaments in the fall and had a career-best 78.91 stroke average in 11 rounds.  In the spring, he had an 81.64 average in seven tournaments and 14 total rounds. He also carded a career-low round of 73 at the Denison Spring Invite.  Jesko earned his first varsity letter in his first season of college golf last year. He played in all 13 tournaments and recorded a stroke average of 76.00 in the fall and 81.43 in the spring.

 

Weiss had a solid sophomore season, which included tournament medalist honors at the College of Wooster Nye Intercollegiate, where he fired consecutive rounds of 76.  He was named OAC Men's Golfer of the Week for his efforts on April 27.  Weiss nearly earned All-OAC honors at the 2009 OAC Championships, where he tied for 13th.  He averaged 76.00 in the fall and 78.79 strokes in the spring. Routhieaux, who also was named Academic All-OAC At-Large,  averaged 76.27 strokes per 18 holes in the fall, good for fifth on the team. He also averaged 81.83 strokes per round in six spring tournaments.  He also had a career-low 72 at the Muskingum Fall Invite. 

 

Jaskolski contributed during the 2008 fall campaign as he tied for second on the team with a 76.00 stroke average in six tournaments and 11 total rounds.  He placed tied for fourth as an individual at the Muskingum Fall Invite, where he shot a two-day total of 145 (72-73).  He only played in two spring tournaments due to injury, but he will look to bounce back this fall and give the team another consistent scorer.

 

In addition, BW also returns sophomores Chris Juszczak (East Liverpool) and Kyle Lewis (Riverside, Calif./Riverside Poly).  Juszczak played in six fall tournaments and averaged 80.55 strokes per 18 and 84.14 in four spring events.  Lewis averaged 87.00 in 11 fall rounds and 84.56 in nine rounds during the spring season.

 

The men's golf team opens the 2009 fall season at the Denison Invitational at Granville Golf Club in Granville on September 5-6.  BW will also serve as the host institution for the 2009 OAC Fall Invitational at Fox Meadow Country Club in Medina on September 20-21.