JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. — The Carson-Newman men's golf team has high expectations heading into its 2011 schedule with a mixture of veterans and talented newcomers on board.
The Eagles open their spring schedule on Sunday in the Golfweek Spring Invitational at the Reunion Resort in Orlando, Fla. C-N head coach John Minor is anxious to see his team perform after playing through a tough slate of events in the fall.
"We have made progress this year and hope to play well in some very competitive tournaments this spring," Minor said. "Our schedule strength is 34th nationally, so we need to play well to improve on our No. 12 regional ranking out of 32 teams.
"I'm in my 10th season as coach and believe we have great potential for postseason play. I'm trying to find the right lineup of experience and hope their great attitude will carry us this spring. After playing five tournaments in the fall, I have high expectations of some really solid play."
C-N had several strong showings in the fall, including a fourth-place finish at the Will Wilson Southeast Preview.
The Eagles return four out of their five participants from last year's team that finished fifth at South Atlantic Conference Championships. Leading the way is junior Liam Ashby (Dublin, Ireland). Ashby, who was a first team All-SAC selection a year ago, ranks fifth in the SAC with a scoring average of 72.5 and had three top five finishes in the fall.
Joining Ashby as another Eagle who had a stellar fall is sophomore Gavin Hay (Glasgow, Scotland). Hay is second on the team in scoring average (73.9) and recorded one top 10 finish in the fall.
Senior John Minor Jr. (Dandridge, Tenn.) will be expected to contribute during his final semester after strong play in four events in the fall, and Michael Horenkamp (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) made vast improvements from his freshman to his sophomore season.
"(Horenkamp) has been the most improved and has grown substantially from his freshman season," Minor said.
Freshman Jordan Patrick (Abingdon, Va.) will also be a key contributor for the Eagles.
Senior Chase Conn (Mason, Ohio), junior Alex Coughlin (Jefferson City, Tenn.) and freshman Jonathan Kim-Moss (Mississauga, Canada) round out the Eagles roster.
The Eagles will wrap up their spring schedule on March 28-29 in the Lander University Bearcat Golf Classic. C-N will then compete in the SAC Championships on April 11-12 at Rock Barn Country Club in Conover, N.C.
