Bucknell University Athletics
Men's Golf Wraps Up Spring Season With Fourth Place Finish At Patriot League Tournament
4/26/2001 8:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
April 26, 2001
Lewisburg, Pa.-- This spring season Bucknell's men's golf team showed steady improvement throughout the season as they capped it off with a strong fourth place finish at Patriot League Championships at Navy. After last years disappointing conference finish, coach Thompson led his Bison back to the League Championships where five of the six men competing shot their lowest rounds of the season.
Sophomore Jimmy Freeman (Laguna Niguel, Calif./St. Margarets) stepped up his performance during the spring season, consistently lowering his score each match and began to emerge as a young star. With a team and personal low score of 70 on the final day of League Championships, after two previous rounds of 75 and 77, Freeman moved into fifth place all by himself. His top five finish earned him all-league honors for the first time in his young career at Bucknell. Averaging an even 77 shots per match during the season Freeman had the lowest scoring average for the Orange and Blue.
After starting the spring season rather slowly, junior Nick Leibowitz (Danbury, Conn./Deerfield Academy) put together three strong rounds at the Patriot League Championships to earn himself a spot on the all-league team for the first time in his career. Leibowitz started with a season low score of 74 at the league tournament and followed that up with a 79 and 77 to finish in a tie for ninth place. By shooting three mid-70 rounds at Patriot League's Leibowitz significantly dropped his spring average down to 81.86. This spring season was sweet redemption for Leibowitz after last year's mishap at the Patriot League Championship tournament.
Senior leadership has been a factor throughout the spring season for the Bucknell squad. Captain Ken Kosteva (Berwick, Pa./Central Columbia) not only brings a low score, but much experience to the younger members of the team. Kosteva's lowest score of the season was a 74, which he shot twice, one of which was in the league tournament. His play and leadership abilities were at their peak for the Bison at the Patriot League Championship when he finished tied for 12th after three rounds of 74-82-75. Kosteva finishes his career with an average of 79.93 and a senior spring average of 80.14.
Also bringing senior leadership to the table was David Horton (Broad Top City, Pa./Tussey Mountain). Horton has been consistently the number four-man for the Bison and completed his Bucknell career with three solid rounds in the low 80's at the Patriot League Tournament. This springs season Horton averaged 84.28 strokes per round, and leaves the Orange and Blue with a career average of 82.13.
Freshman Charles Markey (Southampton, Bermuda/Saltus Grammar School) also shot his lowest score of the spring season at the Patriot League Championships, with a mark of 76 in the first round. Markey, who has three more years left with the squad, has gained a lot of experience this season and proved that he will be an essential part of the Bucknell men's golf team future. He averaged 80.28 stokes this season per 18-hole round and capped off his season with three solid rounds at the conference tournament.
Freshman Scott Leeder (Franklin Lakes, N.J./Ramapo) had only played practice rounds this spring until the Patriot League Tournament arrived on the schedule. In a tourney, which requires six players and not the usual five, Leeder shot a season low 78 on the first day of the tournament, and proved to be a good pick-up for the championship. Playing in the sixth spot, he contributed each of his three scores to the final score card, which counts the top four out of six scores each round. His consistent play and three rounds of 78-81-79 helped the Bison solidify their fourth place finish in the Patriot League.
Also helping out the squad, and participating in practice rounds this spring season were Nick Perini (Huntington, N.Y./Huntington), Mike Gale (Worcester, Mass./Burncoat), Dan Gale (Worcester, Mass./Burncoat), Justin Bretting (Loveland, Colo./Thompson Valley), and Brian McIntyre (Sparta, N.J./Sparta).
Only losing two seniors to graduation, Coach Thompson and the men's golf team will return to the links next season with an experienced squad. The team showed steady improvement throughout the spring season and the four returning starters will need to step up their leadership responsibilities in 2001-02 for continued success.
