By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – With the beginning of the spring season just weeks away, the Tennessee Tech golf teams received a bit of added incentive to leave it all out on the links this year as the Ohio Valley Conference released its preseason predictions.
For the Golden Eagle men, an uphill is expected by most of the league after the group was selected to finish fifth in the upcoming season's OVC Championships.
The men's team secured one top-five finish in five events in the fall, taking fifth at the Kenny Perry Invitational hosted by Western Kentucky back in October.
"In light of the fall semester, I can certainly understand why we were picked to finish where we did in these rankings," head coach Polk Brown said. "However, in no way do I believe this is representative of this team. I have no doubt these young men will use this as motivation as we work towards the OVC Championships. They have a fire lit beneath them, and it will be exciting to see where the chips fall come April."
Despite a rather successful fall season, the Golden Eagle women's golf team finished in a tie for fourth place in the OVC's preseason rankings, even with the return of 2014 OVC All-Tournament selection Whitney Robertson.
The women's squad closed the fall schedule with three consecutive top-five finishes, including an impressive third-place showing at in-state rival Austin Peay's F&M Bank APSU Intercollegiate in October. Junior veteran Maddi Everts captured medalist honors at the event, earning her one of the team's three OVC Female Golfer of the Week honors in the fall.
"Each year these [predictions] have come out, we have shown via these rankings that we have made substantial head way in our conference," Brown explained. "This certainly shows that were are making great strides toward being a contender each year for the championship. Furthermore, these girls have a lot of resolve and determination, which I expect will put them right where we intend to be come April."
The Tech women's team will kick off the spring season with a trip to Mobile, Ala. when the Golden Eagles take part in the USA Women's Invitational hosted by South Alabama on from Feb. 23-24.
As for the men's squad, the Golden Eagles will travel towards the east coast for its spring start at the Wexford Plantation Intercollegiate in Hilton Head, S.C. The tournament, hosted by Francis Marion, will also take place from Feb. 23-24.
Photo by Cody Bryant, TTU Photo Services