MCC golf ready for fall season

The Meridian Community College golf team continued their winning ways last season as they once again finished the season with a top ten (6th) National Championship finish and had one of their freshman (Garrett Westbrook) named NJCAA All American.

The Eagles, who are the only Division I golf program in NJCAA Region 23, will start the 2009 fall season this week by playing in the Wallace State Fall Invitational in Cullman, AL on Monday-Tuesday, Sept. 14-15.

All Region and All America selection- Garrett Westbrook will lead the Eagles into their first event. Fellow sophomores Nick Hawkes, Tanner Sparks and Cory Williamson will also add experience to the line-up. Newcomer, Brandt Garon, a freshman from Baton Rouge, will round out the starting five for the season opening event.

“We are a lot more experienced team than we were last year,” said MCC head coach Sean Covich, who is entering his fourth season with the Eagles.

“Last year at this time we only had one sophomore on the entire roster now I’m taking a lineup with 4 out of 5 that are sophomores.”

Following the Wallace State event, the Eagles will return home to host the Jim Redgate Fall Invitational at Briarwood Country Club in two weeks on Mon-Tues, Sept. 28-29.

“We are very proud to call Briarwood Country Club one of our home courses,” said MCC head golf coach, Sean Covich.

“Equally we are proud to have both or home events named after our two Hall of Fame golf coaches (Lou Hart and Jim Redgate). We look forward to a championship event at Briarwood this fall.”

A “B-team” event is slated for Oct. 6th in Jackson at Patrick Farms Golf Club, hosted by Mississippi College.

The Eagles then have a week to prepare for the NJCAA Division I National Championship Preview on Oct. 12-13. The Preview will be held at the popular Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail in Huntsville, AL.

MCC will round out the fall portion of the schedule at 7th Annual Hilton Garden Inn Invitational hosted by Mississippi Gulf Coast. The tournament will be contested at Windance Country Club on Oct. 19-20.

“This will be our second season at the DI level and now we know we can compete for a national title,” said Covich.

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


2009 MCC Fall Golf Schedule
DATE EVENT CITY/STATE COURSE
Sept. 14-15 Wallace State Invitational Cullman, AL Cullman City Course
Sept. 28-29 Jim Redgate Invitational Meridian, MS Briarwood CC
Oct. 6 Mississippi College Invitational Jackson, MS Patrick Farms GC
Oct. 12-13 NJCAA National Preview Huntsville, AL RTJ-Hampton Cove
Oct. 19-20 Hilton Garden Inn invitational Gulfport, MS Windance GC