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2000-2001 Delaware Golf Outlook
Quick
Facts Athletics Staff Sports Information Golf Information:
2000-2001 Delaware Men's Golf Outlook
The University of Delaware men's golf team should be long on talent for the 2000-2001 season thanks the return of several key players and the addition of three outstanding newcomers. Head coach Jim Kent's squad finished third at the America East championships last spring, but he believes this year's squad has the talent to return to the form of the 1997-98 squad that captured the league title. "I expect Towson and Hartford to continue to be very good teams," said Kent, whose teams have finished lower than fourth at the conference meet just once in his 10 seasons. "But we certainly have the talent to catch them if we can play our game at tournament time." Despite the loss of four-year standout and three-year captain Mike Ladden, who finished his career with the ninth best stroke average (78.19) in school history and four conference top 10 finishes , the Blue Hens should be strong. Leading the returning players are junior co-captain Terry Maguire, sophomore Eric Stepanian, and veterans Ryan Morrissey and co-captain Jason Phinney. Maguire, who will sit out the fall season but will return in the spring, had the team's second best stroke average in 1999-2000 at 78.09. In the process, he won the Scotty Duncan Memorial Tournament April 28-29 in Easton, MD and placed 18th at the America East championships. Stepanian enjoyed a superb freshman campaign, posting the team's fourth best stroke average (79.48) and leading the team at the America East championships with a fourth place finish. Phinney (80.38 average, 18th at America East) and Morrissey (81.50) are veteran letterwinners. "We are looking forward to Jason Phinney and Eric Stepanian stepping up to fill the void of graduated players," said Kent. "Both had very strong seasons as support players a year ago, but now need to step up to positions of leadership. Maguire's play and leadership will be missed in the fall but I anticipate his return in the spring will give us a big boost. A solid trio of newcomers has Kent optimistic. Junior Cory Sheldon, the 1997 state high school champion at Newark High School, returns home after playing two seasons at North -Carolina Wilmington where he placed 17th at the 1998 Colonial Athletic Association championships. The top freshmen are Bill Gamgort, who placed in the top 10 at the Delaware state high school championships this past spring for St. Mark's HS, and Mike Hoffman of Mt. Prospect, IL. "Cory (Sheldon) should give us a major lift," said Kent. "We had a lot of interest in him coming out of high school and we are delighted to have him return to Delaware. Bill and Mike have also performed well early and should help us as the year goes along."
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