MCC Golf prepares for third straight NJCAA national championship appearance

SCOTTSBORO, Ala. – In a season that has been filled with unprecedented feats, the No. 5 ranked team in the nation Meridian Community College golf team will aim for yet another goal this season—a NJCAA national championship.

MCC will join 20 other teams from across the nation Tuesday, May 22 through Friday, May 25 at Goose Pond Colony Golf Course in Scottsboro, Ala., to compete for the 2007 NJCAA Div. II men’s golf national championship. The course is a par 71 with a layout of 6,901 yards. The 2007 tournament marks the third consecutive year that MCC has participated in the national championship.

“This is the national championship, it’s what we’ve worked towards all year long,” said MCC head coach Sean Covich whose 2007 team, featuring just two sophomores, captured a school record nine tournament victories.

Representing MCC, which has placed in the top-five the last two seasons at the national championship, will be a young squad. Three out of MCC’s five golfers are freshman, but all five starters have competed on the Scottsboro, Ala. track previously.

Leading the way will be sophomore Justin Eaves, who has competed in every MCC golf tournament since the spring of his freshman season. He is making his fourth trip to Goose Pond Colony GC. Last season at the national championship, Eaves led all MCC golfers with a four day 288, even-par score (73-69-77-69), and was named NJCAA All American and to the NJCAA national championship All Tournament team. This season, Eaves has continued to lead MCC, he posted an amazing 10 rounds of even-par or better on his way to earning the MACJC “Hubert Tucker” Player of the Year Award and MCC’s “Robert Dreyfus” Player of the Year Award.

Eagle sophomore Dustin Petit will also be making his fourth start this week on the Goose Pond Colony Course. Last season at the national championship Petit shot a four day total 290, 2-over par (71-74-74-71) and was named to the NJCAA National Championship All Tournament team. This spring, Petit was named First Team All State and All Region.

The sophomore duo of Eaves and Petit have combined for 24 All Tournament Team honors, 15 team victories and 2 MACJC Player of the Year Awards. Both players will move on to four-year schools once their MCC careers are over; Eaves to Troy University and Petit to UL-Lafayette.

“Not only have they achieved on the golf course, they’ve represented this school with class everywhere they have gone and are both on our All Academic team,” said Covich.

“That speaks volumes for the caliber of young men that they are.”

Leading the way for the three MCC freshmen will be Scottsboro, Ala. native, Jarrod Lemaster. Named the Robert Trent Jones Junior Golf Tour Player of the Year in 2005, Lemaster has lived up to expectations at MCC. He won a medalist title in his first semester on campus, capturing the Belhaven College Invitational. Lemaster was given MCC’s Most Outstanding Freshman award after being named to three all tournament teams, posting two tournament rounds of even-par or better and being named Fist Team All Region and Second Team All State.

Freshman Bryant Self of Tupelo will make his second trip to Goose Pond after participating in the 2007 Spring Fling back in March. Self has made 5 all tournament teams his freshman season and posted three rounds of even-par or better. He is a member of MCC’s All Academic Team, was named Second Team All State and given the C.B. Hales Award for High Academic Achievement.

Local product, Joshua Ivy of Quitman, MS, will round out MCC’s starting lineup. Ivy has posted two rounds of even-par or better this season. He captured the MCC/Rush Fall Invitational and was named to the MCC All Academic Team as well as given the Sportsmanship Award.

“The key to us playing up to our potential are the freshmen,” said Covich.

“Obviously having Jarrod helps since this is his home course, but Bryant and Josh have proven that they are capable of shooting low scores.”

MCC’s 2006-07 team has won a school record nine tournaments this season, including four straight championships to close out the regular season. This year’s team best 18-hole total came in September by shooting 284 (-4), at Briarwood Country Club in the MCC/Rush Fall Invitational. In addition to that, MCC has posted 6 top-five finishes and rookie head coach Sean Covich was named the NJCAA Region XXIII Golf Coach of the Year.

“Whatever accolades I get go straight to the team, Coach Lou Hart, this school, and the community that supports us” said Covich.

“Those are the people that make MCC golf a successful program. We hope to represent the City of Meridian, the State of Mississippi and Region XXIII well at the national championship.”