BEREA, OHIO -- The 2008-2009 Baldwin Wallace University men's golf team has the talent, both in returning student-athletes and newcomers, and the drive to challenge for the Ohio Athletic Conference title.
To win the title, which would give sixth-year coach Chris Kibler '94 and his team a first-ever berth in the NCAA Division III National Tournament, both coach and team will have to find a way to maintain consistency through the first leg of a rugged season.
This fall, Kibler returns five players and has two very talented freshmen who he hopes will lead the Yellow Jackets back into OAC title contention. Overall, 17 student-athletes are expected to tryout for the team when the preseason begins on August 25.
This year's team will not boast a senior, so Kibler will have to relay on the experience of junior All-OAC players Nick Bryan (Zanesville/ Bishop Rosecrans) and Mike Falk (Strongsville) as well as junior Cory Swaisgood (Fremont/ St. Joseph's Central Catholic) and sophomores Matt Weiss (Concord Township/ Mentor) and Brian Routhieaux (Gibsonia, Pa./ Mars Area). All five have seen considerable playing time the past two seasons.
Bryan, an honorable mention Academic All-OAC selection in 2007-2008 and an All-OAC honoree as a freshman, had a fantastic season cut short last spring due to injury. His 2007 fall season stroke average of 74.00 in 9.5 rounds of 18 holes was the lowest in school history. Then after carding a 77 in his only spring tournament, a "freak" accident ended his record-setting season. Look for Bryan to be one of the top golfers in the OAC and region. Prior to his injury, he was ranked sixth in the region according to Golf Stat. He enters his junior season with a career 77.25 stroke average in 17 tournaments and 32 total rounds.
Falk will miss the 2008 Fall season as he plans to study abroad in India. He also had an amazing season as a sophomore en route to All-OAC accolades. In the fall, Falk carded a 75.68-stroke average in 9.5 rounds to place fifth all-time in a single season. Last spring, he averaged 77.04 strokes to place 18th all-time. Falk will enter in his third varsity year with a 78.27 stroke average in 23 tournaments and 43.5 total rounds.
Swaisgood, who earned his first varsity letter as a sophomore, played in all five tournaments in the fall and had a 80.84 stroke average in 9.5 rounds with a season and career-best round of 74. In the spring, he had an 83.52 stroke in seven tournaments and 12.5 total rounds. Swaisgood's consistency will be important to a successful season for the Yellow Jackets.
"We are very excited about the upcoming season," said Kibler, who led BW to back-to-back second place finishes at the OAC Tournament in 2005 and 2006. "Anticipation and expectations are high.
"We know that we are capable of having a special season, but also realize that we have questions to answer," said Kibler, referring to the graduation losses of three starters. "Nick and Bryan are coming back from serious injuries. Mike will miss the fall season studying abroad. And, we know the OAC has become a very talented golf conference with eight teams capable of outperforming the others on any given day.
"Consistency will be a BIG key," continued Kibler. "We'll be a very young team, but a very talented and capable team. The guys are very close in terms of talent and ability, and I look forward to being a part of their growth. Of particular interest to me will be who steps up to lead this team. We lost a special leader in Matt Lewis to graduation.
"Nick, Mike and Cory are all team guys, and that's critical to our philosophy of achieving success," said Kibler. "We practice, qualify and compete as a team. The team atmosphere is what makes the BW golf experience special."
Weiss and Routhieaux also made serious impacts as freshmen.
Weiss finished third-best on the team in the fall of 2007 with a 78.32 average in all five tournaments and 9.5 rounds. His best round of the season and his career came in the fall with a 74, and rounded out the 2008 spring season with a 80.19 stroke average in six tournaments and 10.5 total rounds.
Routhieaux had a 79.05 stroke average in the fall with a season and career-best round of 73. During the spring, he was third-best on the team with a stroke average of 79.83 in six tournaments and 11.5 total rounds.
"Matt and Brian are experienced sophomores," said Kibler. "When they began last fall, I knew they would make an impact on the team right away and they did. As sophomores, they will be more comfortable and confident. They understand the expectations of the program and will hopefully help pass those expectations along to our new guys. I definitely will be expecting even greater things from them this year. They are both quality young men with great potential"
Kibler feels that incoming freshmen Ricky Jaskolski (North Royalton/ Parma Padua Franciscan) and Chris Juszczak (East Liverpool) could be key to a solid season for the Brown & Gold.
"Both Chris and Ricky are talented freshmen who have the ability to impact our program right away," said Kibler. "I think they will fit in really well with the returnees. We also have five-to-six other guys who we invited to tryout for the team who might be able to help us. We'll find that out the first week of school. I know this much, these guys will work hard, have lots of fun, build some great memories and represent the College very, very well."
The 2008 fall season begins on September 13-14 when the men travel to Granville, Ohio and the Granville Golf Club to compete at the Denison University Invitational. The winner of the 2009 OAC Tournament will receive an automatic berth in the NCAA Division III National Tournament.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, please contact Sports Information Director Kevin Ruple by telephone at 440-826-2327, by fax at 440-826-2329, or via e-mail at kruple@bw.edu. To reach Head Coach Chris Kibler, please call him in his office at 440-826-2182, by fax at 440-826-2192, or by e-mail at ckibler@bw.edu. To access the BW Athletics Website, please log on at www.bw.edu/athletics
