Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Golf Teams Back on Course this Weekend
9/8/2006 8:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
Sept. 8, 2006
LEWISBURG, Pa. -- Coming off outstanding 2005-06 seasons, the Bucknell men's and women's golf teams both return the bulk of their lineups as the fall season kicks off this weekend.
The Bison men, coming off their first Patriot League title and an NCAA Tournament berth in the spring, open up Saturday and Sunday at the Colgate Invitational at Seven Oaks GC.
Meanwhile the women, trying to improve on a solid fifth-place finish in the competitive Big South Championship last season, are in Yorktown, Ind., for the Cardinal Classic, hosted by Ball State.
Bucknell has fared well at Colgate's annual season-opening event. The Bison won it in 2004 and finished third there last fall. This year 15 teams will be in Hamilton for the two-day, 36-hole tournament. Binghamton, Canisius, Central Connecticut State, Cornell, Fordham, Fairleigh Dickinson, Lafayatte, Lehigh, Le Moyne, Niagara, Ottawa, Rider, St. Francis and Wagner join the Orange & Blue.
Bucknell is led by senior standout Charlie Waddell, who in 2006 became the first player in Patriot League history to win back-to-back individual conference titles. Waddell finished T-4th at Colgate in 2004 and T-6th a year ago. Seniors Kyle Moran, Chas Wagner and Patrick Yingling, along with junior Keita Aoki, have considerable tournament experience as well, and coach Jim Cotner welcomes a promising recruiting class.
 Amy Loughney shot 76 in the second round of the U.S. Amateur.  |
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The women's event will be played at The Player's Club at Woodland Trails. It is the second straight year the Bison have opened in the state of Indiana, as last season they kicked things off at the Notre Dame Invitational in South Bend. The 20-team tournament is a two-day, 36-hole event.
Bucknell's starting lineup returns intact in 2006-07, led by junior Amy Loughney, a former All-Big South performer who qualified for the U.S. Women's Amateur Championship over the summer and turned in a very good showing at the prestigious event. Senior Teri Schlang, juniors Emily Chiodo and Kathryn Batchelor and sophomore Deirdre Moran all started at the Big South tourney in the spring and give the Bison plenty of returning experience.
Later this fall both the Bucknell men's and women's teams will be hosting tournaments. The men host the Bucknell Invitational on Sept. 15-16, while the women compete at the Bucknell Bison Classic on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 at the Bucknell Golf Club.
