Bucknell University Athletics
Bison Men's Golf Squad Still Boasts Plenty of Talent as Post-Waddell Era Begins
9/6/2007 8:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
Sept. 6, 2007
The five-man Class of 2007, headed by superstar Charlie Waddell, helped establish a winning golf legacy at Bucknell. Now it will be up to a younger generation to maintain the program's recent championship tradition as the Bison begin their new fall season Saturday at the Colgate Invitational.
After finishing a close second in the Patriot League Championship in 2005, the Bison broke through and won the conference title in both 2006 and 2007. Recent graduates like Waddell, Kyle Moran, Chas Wagner and Patrick Yingling had a great deal to do with those championships thanks to their play on the golf course. Now it seems that their impact will last beyond their days in Lewisburg, as head coach Jim Cotner says their leadership and willingness to be positive role models for their younger teammates will have a lasting affect.
"When you look at the career of Charlie Waddell, other than the fact that he was an outstanding collegiate player and really set the standard for good scoring, his greatest contribution to the program was the value he placed on team success," says Cotner. "He was a leader by example, and that's not only true on the golf course but in the classroom. He showed the younger kids the work ethic needed to get their games competitive at the Division I level."
Cotner hopes that mentorship rubs deepest on what appears to be a terrific sophomore class. Andrew Cohen, the 2007 Patriot League Co-Rookie of the Year, along with Brian Bartow, Jeff Pike and Ryan Schneiter, all made immediate contributions as freshmen last season, and while Cotner is hesitant to dub any of the four "the next Waddell," he would not be surprised to see all four in the starting lineup together at some point this year.
"The sophomore class really has the potential to be the key to our success in winning another Patriot League championship," Cotner offers. "As freshmen, they did an outstanding job of following in the footsteps of an outstanding senior class while learning the skills necessary to be strong contributors this year."
Cohen emerged as one of the team's top players last spring, after opening the season with an even-par 72 in difficult weather conditions at the George Washington Invitational on the Delaware coast in March. He shot 72-74-74 in his first Patriot League Championship, helping the Bison to the team title while finishing in a tie for fourth place individually. Cohen finished off his rookie campaign with a terrific 2-under-par 70 at the NCAA West Regional at Arizona State, giving him a 76.5 scoring average for the year.
Bartow also made it through team qualifying to play in the NCAA Regionals, and after a slow start finished with a respectable 72-73, Bucknell's best mark for the final 36 holes. He tied for seventh in the Colgate Invitational in his collegiate debut last September, and his 76.2 overall scoring average was the best of the rookie crop.
Pike and Schneiter did not see as much action as Cohen and Bartow, but both finished in the top-15 at the Bucknell Invitational -- Pike finished with an even-par 70 -- and flashed a great deal of potential.
"Andrew's success ultimately proved to be the key to winning the Patriot League title last year," Cotner says. "Brian really dedicated himself to getting off on the right foot with his academics and thus was a little slower coming along golf-wise. He has had a really good summer, though, and we are expecting big things from him. Last year was really important for this group to see the level of competition that's out there in Division I. They all became quickly aware of the work they needed to do in order to fine-tune their games to become consistent scorers without so many peaks and valleys."
Keita Aoki, Rahul Desai and Stuart Lindgren comprise a senior class that has enjoyed its share of exciting moments over the last three years. All three were in the lineup at the 2007 Patriot League Championship, and Aoki finished tied for sixth to earn All-Patriot League honors for the first time.
Of the three seniors, Aoki has played the most throughout his career. He has been a regular starter since the start of his freshman year and has averaged 76.9 or better all three years, including a career-best 75.6 last season. He capped the 2006 fall campaign with his first career victory, winning the Mount St. Mary's Invitational with rounds of 75-78 in gale-force winds. He was also runner-up at the Colgate Invitational and tied for fourth at the Bucknell Invitational.
Desai turned in top-10s at Lehigh (7th) and Lafayette (T-4th) last year, and his opening-round 72 at the Patriot League Championship helped get the Bison going on the right foot. Lindgren posted his first career top-10 at Mount St. Mary's (T-8th) last October.
"Our success this year will depend on the seniors stepping up and being consistent players," says Cotner. "If Keita can focus on just playing golf and posting scores, as opposed to trying to make a perfect golf swing, I can see him being the strong player needed to make statements at tournaments. He has such high standards of perfection when it comes to hitting a golf ball, and he needs to realize that golf is not a game of perfection.
"Rahul has been a nice addition to our senior class. He came in as a freshman without the competitive experience of our recruited players, and he didn't make the team then. But he made it through qualifying his sophomore year, and during the past two years he has worked very hard on his game, become a consistent ball-striker and has really developed into a tough competitor."
 Andrew Cohen was the 2007 Patriot League Co-Rookie of the Year  |
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Junior Brian Poe will also be back on the squad this fall after a terrific showing in team qualifying over the last two weeks.
Joining the squad this fall are three talented young recruits in Ben Mattingly, Parker Phillips and Andrew Wallish. All three bring impressive credentials at the high school and junior golf levels, now they must adapt to the collegiate setting.
"Traditionally when freshmen come in, it's an eye-opener," Cotner says. "It takes some time to learn how to balance life between academics and golf. We always try to get them to play at least twice in the fall, once at home in our invitational and once on the road. Concepts like how to study on the road, how to play a practice round on a new course and how to adapt to weather changes are important lessons."
Despite the loss of a two-time league champion and four-time all-conference performer in Waddell, defending the Patriot League title again and getting back to the NCAAs are certainly chief among Bucknell's goals for 2007-08.
"We will take time in the fall to get the younger players tournament experience so they are ready to play in the spring championship season," notes Cotner. "I really believe we are capable of finishing in the top five in every tournament on the schedule, and I'd like to think we can win at least two of them. I'd also like to see one or two individual champions. Of course, the ultimate goal is to win the Patriot League and go to the NCAAs."
NOTES: Desai, Schneiter, Lindgren, Poe and Bartow will tee it up at Colgate's Seven Oaks Golf Club this weekend ... Bucknell has won this event in two of the last three seasons, including last year ... the tournament consists of 36 holes, 18 each Saturday and Sunday.
