Meridian Community College Golf Announces 2008-09 Schedule

Eagles venture into Division I play this season

MERIDIAN - The Meridian Community College golf team has released its 2008-09 schedule which features trips to some of the nations top golf courses including Dancing Rabbit Golf Club (Philadelphia, MS), Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail (Huntsville, AL), and Kokopelli Golf Club (Marion, IL).

The Eagles, who are the only Division I golf program in NJCAA Region 23, will start the season by hosting the annual MCC/Rush Fall Invitational at Briarwood Country Club on Sept. 8-9. The tournament will feature three former national championship teams: Central Alabama, Darton College and Faulkner State.

“Undoubtedly the strongest field for an MCC hosted event since I’ve been here,” said MCC golf coach, Sean Covich.

“We have over 10 national titles represented by these school plus traditional Mississippi powers like, Gulf Coast and Meridian; it should make for a wonderful competition.”

One week later, MCC will play in the John A. Logan Fall Invitational. The tournament is set for Sept. 14-15 and will be played at famed Kokopelli Golf Club in Marion, IL.

“What a treat it is for us to play Kokopelli,” said Covich.

“Its a great links-style course that is suited to host a US Open because its 7,000 yards long with big, rolling bent grass greens, a stern test for our Southern team that is use to Bermuda grass.”

The Eagles then have a month to prepare for the NJCAA Division I National Championship Preview hosted by Central Alabama on Oct. 13-14. The Preview will be held at the popular Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail in Huntsville, AL.

MCC will then travel to Gulfport for the Mississippi Gulf Coast Fall Invitational. The tournament will be contested at Windance Country Club on Oct. 20-21.

Meridian will then venture to Mobile, AL to play Herron lakes Country Club in the annual Mobile Fall Classic hosted by the University of Mobile.

“It’s always a big recruiting tool when you play in four year college/university-hosted events,” said Covich.
“This is the best of both worlds because you’re getting to play top notch competition plus our players are being looked at by university coaches.”

MCC will round out the fall portion of the schedule with a return trip to Dancing Rabbit Golf Club for the ECCC Fall Invitational on Nov. 10-11.

The Eagles will crack the lid on the spring portion of the schedule on Feb. 16-17, at the Faulkner State Invitational in Mobile, AL.

A week later, Meridian will play in the prestigious Wynlakes Wynter Nationals at Wynlakes Country Club in Montgomery, AL on Feb. 23-24.

“Wynlakes is a prestigious country club in Montgomery with a great layout,” said Covich.

“Plus it is hosted by Huntingdon College which is has a wonderful four year golf program.”

The Eagles will then head to Scottsboro, AL for the Spring Fling Intercollegiate on March 20-22. Goospond Golf Course will host the event; it was the site of MCC’s third place national championship finish in 2007.

MCC will also host a Spring Invitational in Meridian sometime in March (date TBA).

The 2009 NJCAA Division I National Championship is set for the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail in Huntsville, AL. on May 20-23 The Eagles finished fifth in 2005, third in 2006 and 2007 on the Division II level.

“This will be our first season at the DI level and we’re excited,” said Covich.

“Being the only DI Juco team in Mississippi and Louisiana comes with a great deal of responsibility to represent this region well and to continue the winning MCC golf tradition at a higher level.”

The Eagles will be led this year by team captain Clay Bounds who is a sophomore. Bounds, a former Lamar standout, shot a team best five rounds of even par or better last year, including a team low 67 at the NW Shoals Invitational. He was named MCC’s Freshman of the Year and was apart of the All Academic Team.

“Clay is a great leader and a great golfer but he is an even better young man that represents this program with class,” said Covich.

The rest of the team will include local players, Tyler Rainer and Matthew Stephens of West Lauderdale; Mississippi prep stars John Cleveland of Madison Ridgeland Academy, Chris Cochran of Oxford High School, Tanner Sparks of Belmont High School, and Cory Williamson of Simpson Academy. Out of state players, Mark Drube and Garret Westbrook, both form Louisiana, look to make an impact as well as England junior golfer, Nick Hawkes.

“Usualy at this point I can tell you who my top five players are going to be,” said Covich.

“But there is a lot of talent on the team which will set up for some competitive qualifying rounds… and competition is good!”

2008-2009 MCC Golf Schedule
Sept 8-9, MCC/Rush Fall Innovational, Briarwood CC, Meridian, MS
Sept 14-15, John A Logan Fall Invitational, Kokopelli GC, Marion, IL
Oct 13-14, NJCAA DI National Championship Preview, Robert Trent Jones, Huntsville, AL
Oct 20-21, Miss Gulf Coast Fall Invitational, Windance CC, Gulfport, MS
Nov 3-4, Mobile Fall Classic, Herron Lakes CC, Mobile, AL
Nov 10-11, ECCC Fall Invitational, Dancing Rabbit GC, Philadelphia, MS
Feb 16-17, Faulkner State Invitational, TBA, Mobile, AL
Feb 23-24, Wynlakes Wynter Nationals, Wynlakes CC, Montgomery, AL
Mar 20-22, Spring Fling Intercollegiate, Goosepond GC, Scottsboro, AL
Mar TBA, MCC/Rush Spring Invitational, TBA, Meridian, MS
May 20-23, NJCAA Division I National Championship, Robert Trent Jones, Huntsville, AL