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2003 Season Preview

The St. Ambrose University Men’s Golf Team looks forward to another successful 2003/04 season under Coach Jeff Griebel who begins his 21^st year as Head Coach. The Fighting Bee linksters are coming of a very successful 2002/03 campaign, which included 9 tournament wins and was highlighted by victory in the NAIA Region 7 Tournament and a berth in last spring’s NAIA Men’s Golf National Championship in Palm Coast, Florida, where the Bee’s finished in 15^th place.  The Bee’s are shooting for a repeat win at the regional championship this fall and hope to improve on their 15^th place finish at the National Championship next spring.  The men’s team has won the regional tournament and qualified for nationals 15 of the last 20 years.  Their best team finish at the national tournament was 6^th in l994.

This year’s squad will be lead by the 2002/03 NAIA Region 7 Player of the Year Darren Hince (Senior, Carol Stream, IL.).  Hince had a competitive stroke average last fall of 72.5 and was also the medalist at the William Penn Invitational for the second year in a row. In that event he tied the school record for low round in a tournament with a 67 the second day to tie for medalist honors and went on to win a sudden death play-off.  Hince was also named to the 2002/03 Midwest Classic Conference All Tournament Team.

Also coming off a very successful 2002/03 season is 2001 Midwest Classic Conference Player of the Year Joe Demory (Junior, Sterling, IL.).  Demory finished in 15^th place at the 2003 NAIA National Championship and was named to the All Tournament Team.  As a result of this, he has received an automatic exemption into next spring’s national championship.  Demory was named to both the NAIA Region 7 and Midwest Classic Conference All Tournament Teams last season.

Other returning players include Jason McGrane (Junior, Guttenberg, IA.) who was the 2001 NAIA Region 7 Player of the Year and was medalist at last springs St. Francis Invitational; Nick Dreckman (Senior, LeMars, IA.); Shane Bellefy (Senior, Cherokee, IA.); Cody Flatt (Junior, Monmouth, IL.); Sunil Taneja (Junior, Peoria, IL.); Brandon Mills (Junior, Dubuque, IA.) & Bryan Lemkau (Sophomore, Muscatine, IA.).

The addition of four transfers and three freshman players to Coach Griebel’s roster should bolster the team’s depth this season.  Two players transferred from Illinois Valley Community College, Tim Puetz (Junior, Peru, Il.) and Craig McConville (Junior, Mendota, IL.).  One player has transferred via Sauk Valley Junior College, Jay Nelson (Junior, Morrison, IL.).  The final transfer addition to the Bee’s fall roster is Patrick Cook (Sophomore, Winthrop, IA.) who attended Loras College last year. The three new freshman player’s are Dan Kevin (Freshman, Oak Lawn, IL.); Blake Panno (Freshman, Streator, IL.) & Scott Nelson (Freshman, Morrison, IL.).