Bucknell University Athletics
Men's Golf Prepares For 2001 Spring Season
3/8/2001 7:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
March 8, 2001
Lewisburg, Pa. - In his 20th season at the helm of the men's golf team, head coach Tommy Thompson '60 is optimistic about the talented team he will field for the spring 2001 season. After a very successful fall season, Thompson will put his trust in a solid starting six, consisting of two seniors, one junior, one sophomore, and two freshmen.
"If we can pick up where we left off from the fall I think we will have a real good shot at Patriot League's. Jimmy (Freeman) and Ken (Kosteva) had an excellent fall campaign and with the return of Nick (Leibowitz) we're looking at a real strong top three. If the team play's to its capabilities it could be a very exciting spring season of golf," commented Coach Thompson on the upcoming spring season.
Providing leadership on the links this season for the Bison will be senior captain Ken Kosteva (Berwick, Pa./Central Columbia). Kosteva is carrying a career 18-hole average of 79.2 strokes into his final season at Bucknell. After averaging 75.33 strokes per round in the fall, which includes a low-score of 69, Kosteva will be a crucial part of the Bison squad this spring. Also representing the senior class is David Horton (Broad Top City, Pa./Tussey Mountain) who will be starting in the important sixth man position for the Bison. As the sixth man on a golf team, Horton will be that crucial member of the team that comes in last to the clubhouse and can supply a match saving score. During the fall campaign, Horton averaged 80.8 strokes per 18-holes in five rounds. Rounding out the senior class will be Mike Gale (Worcester, Mass./Burncoat) and Brian McIntyre (Sparta, N.J./Sparta) who will compete for playing time this spring.
Headlining a small junior class will be Nick Leibowitz (Danbury, Conn./Deerfield Academy) who returns to Lewisburg this semester after spending the fall semester studying abroad. Leibowitz had an impressive sophomore campaign as he averaged 75.7 strokes over six rounds of play. His spring season included a low-score of 68 in the first round of the Patriot League Championship. Coach Thompson will likely put Leibowitz in the second or third spot on the lineup card. Classmate Dan Gale (Worcester, Mass./Burncoat) will be competing for more playing time this spring after averaging 80.25 strokes per round in the fall.
Sophomore Jimmy Freeman (Laguna Niguel, Calif./St. Margarets) has really come into his own on the golf course as he led the Bison in scoring average during the fall season. Over nine rounds of play, Freeman averaged 74.44 strokes, which included two rounds of 69. One of his 69's occurred on the road at the Colgate/Cornell Invitational on the challenging Seven Oaks golf course in Hamilton, N.Y. Freeman will solidify the top-three golfers for the Bison this spring with Kosteva and Leibowitz. Also on the roster from the sophomore class for this spring will be Nick Perini (Huntington, N.Y./Huntington).
This spring season Coach Thompson is planning on featuring two freshmen in his starting lineup. After solid fall season's, Scott Leeder (Franklin Lakes, N.J./Ramapo) and Charles Markey (Southampton, Bermuda/Saltus Grammar School) have cracked the Bucknell golf team's starting six. Leeder finished the fall season with an 18-hole average of 79.22 strokes over nine rounds. Markey was even more consistent than his classmate as he finished with a 78.875 stroke per round average in the fall. Coach Thompson is very optimistic about the season and his skilled freshmen class, which also includes Justin Bretting (Loveland, Colo./Thompson Valley).
After a second place finish in the Patriot League Championship last spring to Navy, the Bison are prepared to avenge that three-stroke defeat. In preparation for the Patriot League Championship, the men's golf team will begin its spring season in Southern Pines, N.C. over spring break. The Bison will then have two tournament's in early April before hosting the conference championship on April 14-16.
