Adam Craig, in his fourth season as head coach, has high hopes for his Bluffton golf teams for the 2020-21 season. Craig has been the head coach of the Beavers since Bluffton University decided to bring back golf in the 2017-18 season after it had suspended the program following 2003-04.
Haley Gill, sophomore captain, teeing off during a match last season. Photo courtesy of Adam Craig.
COVID-19 affected the men’s team more than the women’s team last season. Each team was able to play in the same amount of tournaments they had scheduled, except for the men’s conference championship, which Bluffton was supposed to host.
Instead, Bluffton will host the men’s conference championship this season.
“We did not have any seniors, so that gave us a chip on everyone’s shoulders to come back stronger this year,” said Craig.
Craig said they used conference foe, Earlham, as motivation for this upcoming season.
“Earlham started their program a year before we did, and, in my opinion, they were ready to win the conference championship last year,” said Craig.
The Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference announced Aug. 26 that the women’s conference championship will be moved to the spring of 2021.
Bluffton University has stayed motivated that there will be sports this fall and the golf team made history on Thursday, Sept. 3, in a match against Tiffin University.
Senior Captain, Takoda Pratt, with a shot off of the tee box during a match last season. Photo courtesy of Adam Craig.
It marked the first NCAA golf match, in all divisions, since COVID-19 hit in March. The match was played at Mohawk Golf and Country Club in Tiffin, Ohio.
This year, the men’s side brings back a lot of familiar faces while also bringing in two first-years into the mix this season.
The upperclassmen include seniors Michael Fimiani, Julian Lavallee and Takoda Pratt, juniors Dominic Castelvetere, Spencer Daniels, Carter Mumbower and Nick Offenburger. The underclassmen include sophomores Nathan Eberle, Evan Kujawa, Justin Metsker and Clay Quellhorst and first-years Dharmarak Dawrat and Brady Johnston.
The women’s team looks similar to the men’s team in terms of returning members.
The roster includes juniors Keely Briggs, Abby Bullion and Brylee Oberdorf, sophomores Grace Branson, Haley Gill, Marissa Hall and Elizabeth Rockwell, and first-year Meredith Obringer.
Craig still plans for both teams to play a full schedule this year, but might be playing in more one-day events instead of full weekend events.
“Staying overnight is not an option right now so it has caused us to adjust our schedule to play in more one-day events,” said Craig.
The Beavers will host a two-day tournament Sept. 19 and. 20.
As of right now, Bluffton University is not allowing spectators at any athletic events except for students and faculty.
Results from all matches will be available on Sundays at 7 p.m. by listening to the Beaver Dam on 96.1 The Wit FM.
