MORGANTOWN, W. Va. – After returning to the links for the first time in more than 30 years last September, the West Virginia University golf team will look to improve upon the solid foundation built this fall when they return to competition next week.
A runner-up finish by freshman Max Sear, pair of low-round scores posted by West Virginia native Alan Cooke and senior Easton Renwick, a sixth-place team finish at NC State and the inaugural Mountaineer Intercollegiate were among some of the highlights in the first half of the Mountaineers’ historic season.
“We had some ups and downs this fall season. Starting a Big 12 golf program from scratch is no easy task and, in some ways, that first semester is a lot of trial and error, but by the end of the fall I thought our guys finally understood what it takes to be a successful team both on and off the golf course,” said coach Sean Covich. “We had some momentum from our showing at NC State and then a solid round at the Quail Valley Intercollegiate to end the fall. Individually, Easton and Max played at a high level, combining for 12 rounds of even-par or lower. Another positive was that every single player on the roster, all 10 guys, saw action in the starting lineup. That’s very rare but a positive thing for us as we are just beginning to build this program, getting everyone some experience early.”
Following a 10th-place finish at the season opening Tiger Turning Stone Intercollegiate, the Mountaineers put on a solid showing at rival Marshall’s Joe Feaganes Invitational. The squad posted two-season low rounds of 283 in the first and third rounds, while Renwick claimed the program’s first individual top-10 finish of the new era by taking 10th with a 208.
West Virginia native Chris Williams led the squad at the Graeme McDowell/Shoal Creek Invitational to close out September before Sear posted the best Mountaineer performance of the season with a runner-up finish at the Wolfpack Intercollegiate at the start of October. The freshman from Unionville, Ontario, Canada led WVU to its second- and third-best rounds of the season as well as a sixth-place finish at the event.
A musket shot started the first annual Mountaineer Intercollegiate on October 19 at Pete Dye Golf Club in Bridgeport, with Sear and Renwick tying for 10th place overall in the Mountaineers’ first home tournament. Penn State took home the first-ever team title for the event, with UConn earning second in the 14-team field.
West Virginia wrapped up fall play in sunny Florida, with Renwick again leading the way as the Mountaineers placed 15th at the Quail Valley Intercollegiate.
On Feb. 12, the Mountaineers hit the road once again, heading to Texas where they will compete in the President’s Day Challenge with the Houston Cougars and host Rice Owls on Feb. 15. The following month, the squad travels to Florida for the three-day Seminole Intercollegiate, hosted by Florida State March 11-13.
April brings a trio of tournaments to cap the regular season, as WVU starts the month in Tennessee at Vanderbilt’s Mason Rudolph Championship (April 2-3) before heading straight to Starkville, Mississippi, for the Old Waverly Collegiate Championship hosted by Mississippi State (April 4-5).
The Mountaineers will stick closer to home for a pair of final tune-ups before heading to the conference championship. They will participate in Ohio State’s Robert Kepler Invitational (April 9-10) as well as Penn State’s Rutherford Invitational (April 16-17) to close out the regular season.
On April 29, West Virginia embarks on its first-ever Big 12 Championships at Whispering Pines Country Club in Trinity, Texas.
“We’re looking forward to a great schedule in the spring,” said Covich. “The competition will only get more difficult as we head to No. 3 Florida State, Mississippi State, Ohio State, No. 20 Penn State, No. 18 Vanderbilt, plus Big 12s to face teams like No. 8 Texas, No. 13 Oklahoma and No. 17 Oklahoma State. This spring will certainly be a challenge for our guys, but when you are member of the Big 12 you can’t run and hide, so we are looking forward to the competition this spring.”
