BEREA, Ohio --  Last spring, the Baldwin Wallace University men's golf team had a lot of fun, reached its goal of winning the Ohio Athletic Conference title and advancing to the 2014 NCAA Division III National Tournament.  The team was led by current senior and OAC Tournament medalist Adam Sanders (Fairview Park/ Fairview). This season, both Sanders and the Yellow Jackets hope to duplicate their efforts.

"I am very excited and ready for the upcoming year," said Sanders, who won the OAC medalist honor in a three-hole playoff. "Making it to nationals last year was great and so was winning the conference both as a team and individually. We return a lot of talent from last year's team, so I am very excited about this season and chasing another OAC title." 

For the past three years, Sanders has improved his game. 

For Sanders, this year's goals remain the same as last seasons. 

"The goals for this season as a team are to improve each and every week and repeat at the end of the season as OAC champions," said Sanders, who led BW with a 77.49 stroke average last year in 12 tournaments and 23.5 rounds of 18 holes. "My goals are to lead this team back to the OAC title and national tournament as well as defending the OAC medalist honor."

The criminal justice and psychology major is enjoying his experience at BW.

"The thing I enjoy most about BW is the pride the schol shows," said Sanders. "With the school being smaller, everyone is very close to one another.

"The professors care about the progress the students make in and out of the classroom, and the students realky show up at athletics events and cheer on the other teams," continued Sanders, who won the OAC Medalist honor by defeating a fellow OAC opponent on the third hole of a playoff. "The thing I like most about the golf team is how close our team is. Everyone on the team supports each other and we are all very good friends off the course." 

Due to the golf season being played half in the fall and half in the spring, Sanders also has learned how to balance his time between his classroom work and golf.

"Balancing your time is something that it takes time to get used to," said Sanders, who has twice earned OAC Men's Golfer of the Week accolades. "You have to make time during the week to get schoolwork done that other students might be doing on the weekends because of all of our tournaments that occur during the weekends. It is important to keep your professors involved and aware of tournaments and practices so your classwork can be turned in on time and done properly."

Sanders also has had a great support system, and he feels that has definitely helped him progress both as a student and collegiate golfer. 

"My mom [Debbie Sanders] has been my biggest supporter and influence away from the course," said Sanders, who hopes after graduation next spring to work as a representative for a golf company or help others enjoy the game of golf as a PGA (Professional Golfers Association) teaching professional. "She has always been my biggest fan and helped me grow into the man I am today.

"On the course, my swing coach, Buzz Disalvo has influenced me to become the best golfer I can be. He has helped my golf game grow both fundamentally and mentally. Buzz has made me realize there is a lot more to life than golf and to enjoy the game no matter waht the outcome." 

Sanders also recommends the experience he has had to future BW golf recruits.

"If I were to send a message to a future BW golfer, it would be that BW is a great school to attend and that playing golf for BW is both an honor and the best four years you will ever experience."

Yup, sure sounds like a young man who is enjoying his student-athlete exerience at Baldwin Wallace University.

A year ago, the Yellow Jackets saved their best golf for the end of the season, including placing 36th of 41 teams at the NCAA tourney.  Gone are senior standouts Stephen Spalding '14 and Augie Ward '14 as well as Coach Tom Heil. But joining Sanders is both a talented group of returning veterans and some talented newcomers who hope to push the veterans to new heights.

Rookie Head Coach Wayne Schneider welcomes back eight of 11 student-athletes, including three starters. Leading the way will be Sanders  and sophomore All-OAC player Scott Schroeder (Aurora). In addition, the other returning starter is sophomore Matt Kerschner (Independence). The trio are joined by returnees in sophomores Mike Devine (Richfield/ Revere) and Austin Griffith (Barberton), junior Connor Duplin (North Canton/St. Thomas Aquinas) and seniors Andy Ingram (Vermilion) and Cody Lyon (Wadsworth/Medina Highland).

The Yellow Jackets open the season on September 7 at The College of Wooster - Zoar Invitational Tournament at the Zoar Village Golf Course inn Lawrence, Ohio.