No. 1 Eagles set to host Jim Redgate at Briarwood

GolfStat.com NJCAA Div I Men’s Golf rankings

(MERIDIAN) – The latest national ranking by GolfStat.com was released this week and the Meridian Community College golf team found themselves atop the NJCAA poll for the first time in school history. MCC is ranked No.1 in the NJCAA Division I poll while fellow Distinct rival- Central Alabama is right behind the Eagles at No. 2.

“The No. 1 ranking is pretty neat but its only one month into the season,” said fifth year head coach Sean Covich.

“It ‘s something we’ve been working for since our move to Division I in the NJCAA (2008), but its where you are at the end of the season that matters.”

The No. 1 ranked Eagles are coming off a record setting performance last week as MCC shot a school record -14 under par (274) in round two of the Wallace State Invitational en route to a season opening victory. MCC sophomore, Brandt Garon, continued his winning steak as he defended his title in Cullman, AL with a 54-hoe total of -8 under par (67-70-71). Garon has now won two straight events, the NJCAA Div. I National Championship and the Wallace State Invitational).

MCC returns to competition on Monday when they host the Jim Redgate Invitational at Briarwood Country Club. The 54-hole event will feature 10 teams playing 36-holes on Monday and a final 18 holes on Tuesday. The format for the event will be five players competing for each school and counting the lowest four scores turned in after each round.

Three other ranked teams will join No. 1 MCC in the field this week as No. 2 Central Alabama, No. 4 Wallace State and No. 14 Faulkner State travel to Briarwood. Other teams scheduled to participate include three time national champion- Darton College out of Georgia, in-state rivals-East Central and Mississippi Gulf Coast, along with Rend Lake College of Illinois and the University of Mobile from Alabama.

“This is one of the strongest fields in all of junior college golf,” said Covich.

“There are over ten national championships represented by theses teams, and a lot of these guys will go on to play NCAA golf. I encourage folks to come out and watch because a few of these players have already signed with NCAA teams.”

Highlighting the MCC starting line-up this week will be defending NJCAA national champion Brandt Garon who finished tied for second in last season’s Jim Redgate Invitational. Garon will join former Lamar High School standout Easton Key in the Eagle line-up. Key, a freshman from Meridian, shot a school record 65 (-7) in the second round of the Wallace State Invitational.

MCC’s Fall Invitational is named after longtime founding father of MCC golf, Coach Jim Redgate who started coaching MCC golf and basketball back in 1971. He led the Eagles to the first MACJC State Championship in any sport (golf) back in 1972 and went on to win three-straight state titles in the 1970’s as head golf coach.

“We’re honored to have two Hall of Fame coaches in our proud golf history,” said Covich.

“Both our Fall Invitational and Spring Invitational are named in honor of our two great coaches- Jim Redgate and Lou Hart.”

MCC won last years Jim Redgate Invitational by two strokes over Central Alabama. Wallace State freshman Blaise Wilson won the 2009 medalist title with a 5-under par total using rounds of 70-69-69 and looks to defend his title this year as a sophomore.

Play will begin at 7:30 AM each day. First place and second place teams will be awarded along with individual medalist honors and five all tournament team awards.

2010 Jim Redgate Invitational hosted by Meridian Community College
Date: Mon.-Tues., Sept. 27-28, 2010
Site: Briarwood Country Club/ Meridian, Miss.
Course Information: 6,805 (Par 72)
Format: College Team Stroke Play/54 holes (36 on Monday, 18 on Tuesday)
2010 Field (Division): Central Alabama (NJCAA DI), Darton College (NJCAA DI), East Central (NJCAA DII), Faulkner State (NJCAA DI), Meridian (NJCAA DI), University of Mobile (NAIA DI), Mississippi Gulf Coast (NJCAA DII), Rend Lake (NJCAA DI), Wallace State (NJCAA DI)
Previous Winners:
1998-Shelton State
1999-Faulkner State
2000-Faulkner State
2001-Meridian
2002-Faulkner State
2003- Univ. of Mobile
2004-Meridian
2005-Katrina
2006-Meridian
2007-Miss. Gulf Coast
2008-Central Alabama
2009- Meridian