MCC Golf Set to Compete in NJCAA District V Championship

The Meridian Community College golf team travels to Cullman, Ala. Monday and Tuesday for the NJCAA District V tournament. The event will be held at Terri Pines Country Club.

Nine teams, eight of which are currently ranked in the GolfStat.com top 25 poll, will be competing in the event: Brevard (FL), Cape Fear (NC), Central Alabama, Faulkner (AL) State, Meridian (MS), Pitt (SC), Spartanburg Methodist (SC), Wallace (AL) State, and Wake Technical (NC).

This will be the first District V championship appearance for MCC, before 2009 the Eagles competed in the MACJC/Region 23 at the NJCAA Division II level, this season the Eagles have moved up to Division I which means a new path to the national championship.

“In the past we had to win our Region to advance to the NJCAA Division II national championship,” said MCC head coach Sean Covich.

“This year with the move up to Division I our path is a little bit different- and since we are the only Division I program in Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi- this year we will receive an automatic birth into the District and National championships. Next season that will change slightly with redistricting but this year we know we are in the national championship.”

With three freshmen in the starting line-up this year, sophomores Clay Bounds and Jarrod Moulds are the only players for Meridian that have prior experience in postseason tournaments. Bounds fired rounds of 74-76 to finish 12th in last years MACJC/Region 23 championship. Moulds finished tied for 13th after carding rounds of 77-74.

"I think Clay and Jarrod will be able to provide a lot of leadership this week since they've been here before," said Covich.

"Last season they missed out on the national championship by just two shots so I believe that this season they will soak up every minute of postseason play and enjoy the final two events of their outstanding MCC careers."

Bounds, a former Lamar golfer, has certainly left his mark on his hometown community college golf program. He holds the record for the lowest tournaments scores in each of the past two seasons (66 and 67), and his 66 in this years Spring Fling College Classic tied for the lowest score in MCC golf history. He has posted seven rounds of Even-par or lower in his two seasons and has been named to three career All Tournament teams. In 2008 he was named MACJC All State.

Moulds, also a former Lamar standout, has been one of the more consistent scores for the MCC golf team sine the fall of 2007. He is the only golfer in the past two seasons to win a tournament medalist title, he did so at the Kirkwood National Invitational with rounds of 74-72. He has posted three rounds of Even-par or lower and has been named to four All Tournament teams in his career. In 2008 he was named MACJC All State.

Garrett Westbrook looks to cap off a stellar freshman season at MCC. After arriving on campus in the fall, Westbrook has established himself as a force to be reckoned with. He leads the team in scoring average at 75.8 strokes per round and has posted the most top-15 finishes (4) on the team. He also looks to build off a strong performance is his last event at the Spring Fling College Classic. In that event, Westbrook posted rounds of 72-72-72 to finish tied for 4th out of 133 golfers.

“I couldn't be any prouder of the way Garrett has played this year," said Coach Covich.

"He's just continued to work hard, and has matured greatly this semester into a team leader. I expect him to have a strong showing this week."

Cory Williamson and Nick Hawkes will round out the line-up as freshmen this week.

Williamson has participated in 10 events for MCC, posting 11 rounds of 76 or below which included two rounds of 72 or lower, and three times this season he was the lowest MCC individual. He had a hole in one during round three of the Spring Fling which helped MCC secure runner-up finish in that event.

Hawkes participated in nine events for MCC, posting a season low 1-under par (71) at the NJCAA Division I National Preview back in October.

The NJCAA District V Men’s Golf Championship tees off Monday morning, April 20th, beginning at 8 a.m. (CT). The event will feature 36-holes on day one and a final 18 on day two. The NJCAA Division I National Championship is set for May 19-22 at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail-Hampton Cove.