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Men’s Golf Ready to Tee-Off the 2008-09 Season
HOBOKEN, N.J. (September 10, 2008) – The Stevens Institute of Technology men’s golf team enters its third varsity season in 2008-09 as Head Coach John Stahley (Hoboken, N.J.) has been instrumental factor in turning the team from club to a full-fledged competitive varsity program. While Stahley has been at the helm, the Ducks have finished fourth the past two seasons during the Empire 8 Championship as well as a third-place showing during the Skyline Conference Championship in 2006. Furthermore, a total of four all-league individual honors have been earned by members of the squad since the program entered varsity status.
Last season the program re-wrote the record book as new low-round scores were realized for both team and individual outings. The lowest single-, two- and four-round totals were established in both individual and team scores. On three different occasions the lowest single-round team total was lowered first to 327, then 324, and finally to 319 during the final match of the season. In addition, nine different members of the team posted new individual records or were contributors to a team record.
The team finished 9th out of 14 teams during the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference Upstate/Metro Tournament in October of 2007. The squad also took 12th of 21 in the Lebanon Valley Invitational in April 2008. Both results demonstrate that the team is competitive at the Division III level, which is quite an accomplishment for a second year varsity squad. Along the way, rising senior Tom Merriam (Moorestown, N.J.) earned second-team Empire 8 honors as he posted a new Stevens record four-round total of 322 at the league championship. This past summer, Merriam qualified for and played in the New Jersey Public Links Championship which included the best amateur golfer in the state.
The team enters the 2008-09 season more experienced than a year ago and continues to improve; ready to contend for top half of the field finishes. The squad is led by Merriam and junior Ryan Cohen (South Brunswick, N.J.), who holds the team record for best individual round (73). Senior Scott Mozeleski (Manalapan, N.J.), has been a steady performer and is looking forward to a successful final collegiate season. Sophomore Abhishek Saksena (Princeton Junction, N.J.) returns after a showing great promise by establishing a team record for a two-day total of 155 during his first collegiate match at the fall portion of the Empire 8 championship. Sophomore Aaron Dennis (Bangor, Maine) shot an 82 and 79 in his last two tournaments of the 2007-08 season. Sophomore John Kutcher (Wayne, N.J.) averaged an 82 in his first two starts and is expected to provide major contributions this year.
Seniors Jordan Chacon (Hackensack, N.J.) and Patrick Cavanaugh (Laurel, Md.) return in 2008-09 to add depth and experience to the roster. Freshman John Ziegler (Glen Burnie, Md) is expected to be a significant impact during his first collegiate season.
In the fall season, the Ducks will compete in seven matches. The Empire 8 Championships and the ECAC Upstate/Metro tournaments are the key competitions that Stevens is looking to have a significant presence at. The league championship will be played at Skenandoa Golf Club in Clinton, N.Y. from September 20-21. In addition, the Ducks will be tested when they face strong regional teams at the Lebanon Valley College and Franklin and Marshall College invitationals.
Neshanic Valley Golf Course in Neshanic Valley, N.J. will serve as the home and practice site for Stevens. The team also uses the Edgewater Driving Range in Edgewater, N.J.
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