I was checking out the lineups for the schools playing at the Amer-Ari Invitational in Hawaii to start their spring season, and one name in particular stood out by its absence as the event begins Wednesday.
Oklahoma State's Peter Uihlein.
Don't fret Cowboys fans. The reigning U.S. Amateur champion doesn't have a mysterious injury to worry about. According to OSU coach Mike McGraw, Uihlein will be back in the line-up when the country's top-ranked team plays in the Puerto Rico tournament later this month.
"Every year I set a certain GPA criteria that players must meet in the fall in order to be eligible to go to Hawaii," said McGraw via text message when asked why Uihlein didn't make the trip. "Peter is eligible by NCAA standards and OSU standards, however, not the standard we have on our team for Hawaii." Reached by phone in Hawaii, McGraw would not say what the GPA standard was.
Perhaps it's not the worst news for Uihlein. A year ago he made the trip to Waikaloa Beach Resort despite having flu-like symptoms. He wound up shooting an 18-over 234 and finished T-84.
OSU's starting five will be Morgan Hoffmann, Kevin Tway, Kevin Doughery, Drew Page, Talor Gooch.
Meanwhile, Uihlein is likely to get some competitive golf in this coming weekend. He is listed as a participant at the Jones Cup Invitational, a men's amateur event being played at Ocean Forest GC in St. Simons Island, Ga., Feb. 4-6.
Results for January 2011
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Campus Insider Podcast/UF's Bank Vongvanij
The spring season is only days away and to help kick-off the second half of the 2010-11 campaign, I'm joined by Florida's Arnond (Bank) Vongvanij. The Gators senior is coming off an impressive fall showing, where he finished second at the Olympia Fields/Illini Classic, T-5 at the Jerry Pate Intercollegiate and won the Isleworth Invitational. His 69.67 stroke average helped him finished atop the Golfstat Cup ranking this fall. Suffice it to say if he keeps up this strong play when Florida opens up at the Jacksonville Invitational on Monday, his name will be mentioned for several national awards as the spring semester proceeds.During the Podcast, we talk about such recognition (he says he hasn't thought about anything like that just yet) along with what clicked for him in the fall and what it was like to make the transition to college after being a blue-chip junior recruit.
Read more
This Week's Syllabus: Jan. 27-Feb. 2
FAB FIVE
My look at the top five teams in the country right now
MEN
1. Oklahoma State (Last edition: 1)
To those Cowboy fans who believe I've been showing disrespect to Brandon Weeden and his addition to the OSU roster, that's not my intention. Adding the All-Big 12 quarterback could prove to be a brilliant move by Mike McGraw in terms of having this veteran athlete relate his experiences to the team and offer some leadership. My point, though, is that it's going to be highly unlikely he ever actually cracks the starting five on a team as talented as OSU.
Spring opener: Hawaii-Hilo Invitational, Waikoloa Beach Resort, Kohala Coast, Hawaii, Feb. 2-4
2. UCLA (2)
Gregor Main and Patrick Cantlay got nice starts to the spring season by attending the U.S. Walker Cup practice session earlier this month in Florida. The Bruins will need any edge they can get considering they have arguably the toughest schedule of any team entering the second half of the 2010-11 campaign.
Spring opener: Hawaii-Hilo Invitational, Waikoloa Beach Resort, Kohala Coast, Hawaii, Feb. 2-4
3. Florida (4)
You've got to like the Gators chances to get off to a good start in the spring; they're one of only two top-25 teams competing at the Stadium Course in their opening tournament, then play host at the Gator Invitational, an event they have won the past seven years.
Spring opener: Jacksonville Invitational, TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., Feb. 1-2
4. Alabama (3)
The cover of the Crimson Tide's interactive media guide is great. If the players carry half the swagger it looks like they have in those pictures, the Tide will most certainly roll this spring. Most importantly, I think they can back that attitude up on the course.
Spring opener: Puerto Rico Classic, Rio Mar CC, Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, Feb. 20-22
5. Georgia Tech (NR)
OK, maybe I'm guilty of drinking the Kool-Aid, but after talking with Bruce Heppler about his squad, I like the fact he's got four guys back from a team that reached match play at last year's NCAA Championship. Better yet, three (J.T. Griffin, Kyle Scott and Paul Haley) are fifth-year seniors who've all but wrapped up their academic load and will be able to focus pretty exclusively on golf this semester.
Spring opener: Hawaii-Hilo Invitational, Waikoloa Beach Resort, Kohala Coast, Hawaii, Feb. 2-4
WOMEN
1. Alabama (1)
The Crimson Tide enter the spring with a shag bag full of expectations. The players no doubt have the talent to claim conference and national titles, but how will having the proverbial bullseye on their back after their mental approach? That's the biggest question for Alabama fans entering the spring
Spring opener: Lady Puerto Rico Classic, Rio Mar CC (River Course), Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, Feb. 13-15
2. UCLA (2)
I don't think there is any clear cut favorite in the women's game, with the Bruins hanging tough with Alabama and the others behind them not far away either. However, if I had to pick one team could run away from everyone this spring, I think I'd go with the ladies of Westwood.
Spring opener: Northrop Grumman Regional Challenge, Palos Verdes GC, Palos Verdes, Calif., Feb. 14-16
3. USC (3)
Considering all the roster turnover in the offseason, the Trojans' fall performance was impressively strong. Only true concern is whether Lisa McCloskey can sustain the level of play she's shown since last summer. It's a lot to expect out of anyone to play at as high a level as she has.
Spring opener: Northrop Grumman Regional Challenge, Palos Verdes GC, Palos Verdes, Calif., Feb. 14-16
4. LSU (4)
The Tigers may benefit from having the spotlight in the southeast on Alabama. Let the Crimson Tide be the team everyone is chasing. Karen Bahnsen has enough good players to give anyone a run for their money this spring.
Spring opener: Central District Invitational, River Wilderness GC, Parrish, Fla., Feb. 21-22
5. Purdue (5)
Had Proposal 2010-99, which would have likely severely limited teams ability to compete in U.S. territories, not been defeated at the recent NCAA Convention, this tournament likely would have been played for the last time. Don't be surprised if Purdue coach Devon Brouse and his group celebrate the proposal's demise by running off with the team title.
Spring opener: Lady Puerto Rico Classic, Rio Mar CC (River Course), Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, Feb. 13-15
STAT OF THE WEEK
4.44 & 5.84
Average number of tournaments being played by the top 25 teams on the Golf World/NGCA women's coaches' poll compared to the average number of tournaments being played by the top 25 teams on the Golf World/Nike Golf men's coaches' poll.
RANDOM THOUGHT OF THE WEEK
We're all getting old here as Phil Mickelson is set to play in the PGA Tour stop at Torrey Pines this week for the 22nd time in his career.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
Over the past decade, college programs have routinely filled out their rosters at mid-season by bringing in new recruits at the start of the spring semester. News out of Atlanta, though, put a different twist on the practice of January freshman, or J frosh, one that might be something other schools look into down the road.
Ollie Schniederjans and Anders Albertson both joined the Georgia Tech men's team earlier this month, enrolling at school after being among the top high school prospects in the state of Georgia. While on scholarship and able to practice and play for the team, the current plan says Yellow Jacket coach Bruce Heppler is for the two not to play in any tournaments during the spring semester, using the time instead to get acclimated to college life and keeping their full four years of eligibility. It's the same blueprint that was followed a year ago by current Tech freshman Richard Werenski.
Heppler said the idea behind the early enrollment, a practice that's caught on dramatically in college football, is fairly obvious. By starting school a semester early, the players have a chance to get acclimated to campus life. Similarly, they get a chance to assimilate into the team environment, get comfortable with the practice routines and learn the golf courses the school uses without the pressure that comes with leaving campus while traveling to events.
"It lets you get your feet wet and learn how to go to college, learn how to start balancing your time," Heppler said. "You begin to have some very long days, which is eventually what college golfers are going to face. To get ahead of that, I think is tremendous."
Heppler noted that Werenski's contributions to the team this past fall, when he played in four tournaments and posted a 73.83 average, can be attributed at least partially to his early enrollment the previous January and having gone through the transition to college well before the 2010-11 season got underway. Particularly, having already played against most of his teammates in qualifiers last spring allow him to be more at ease when they competed again this fall.
In the case of Schniederjans, the Power Springs, Ga., native had considered wrapping up high school a full year early, but wanted to compete in the Junior Ryder Cup among other events last fall. Having already accelerated his high school class schedule, he was able to graduate in December and begin college early. Albertson, from Woodstock, Ga., had also taken larger high-school class loads, which allowed him to inquire about early college enrollment when he met with Heppler.
There are some down sides to bringing in players mid-year, Heppler notes, particularly knowing they aren't likely going to contribute in regular-season and post-season events. There's a risk of alienating high school coaches who will be losing some of their best players during there scholastic seasons in the spring. "Ollie's team won the state championship last year and won it a couple times before," Heppler said, noting that his coach wasn't happy to see him go but understood the situation. "It's not like football, where the players wrap up their senior seasons in the fall and can go off to college without hurting their high school team."
Additionally, there's the cost of tuition, dorms and books. Most schools don't necessarily have scholarship money laying around, nor are coaches inclined to doll out the dollars to players that aren't expected to play. "We were in a situation where we could help these guys this semester and make it where it was affordable for them [to enroll early]," said Heppler, who also noted that both players academic standing allowed them to receive funds through the state's Hope Scholarship program.
For these reasons, Heppler said he didn't think early enrollments for golfers who weren't actually going to compete during the spring would become a regular practice any time soon. "With home schooling, where you've got some flexibility with [when a player is done with high school], maybe you'll see it. But there are some challenges getting it done."
Another potential wrench in the early-acclimation plan: if the early enrollee starts playing well in practice and qualifiers. Heppler said that in the Yellow Jackets qualifying for next week's Hawaii-Hilo Invitational, Albertson actually finished second and earned a spot on the travel team. Heppler gave his newcomer a choice, and Albertson decided to stay home rather than start the clock on his eligibility.
"But you know to jump in there and have some success against some guys that next year you're going to be playing against to [make the starting lineup]," Heppler said. "I think that does a lot for your confidence."
Indeed, with three fifth-year seniors on the roster this year, Heppler knows that he'll have some holes to fill on his roster come next fall. Having Schneiderjans and Albertson already on campus will likely go a long way to addressing that issue.
TOURNAMENT PREVIEWS
MEN
Arizona Intercollegiate
(For live scoring, click here to link to Golfstat)
Arizona National GC, Tuscon
Jan. 31-Feb. 1
Host: Arizona
Field: Arizona, BYU, California, Fresno State, Hartford, New Mexico, Pacific, Pepperdine, San Diego State, UC Irvine, UC Riverside, UTEP, UT San Antonio, UNLV, Utah
Defending champion: California (29-under 823) by one stroke over Arizona; Arizona's Rich Saferian (13-under 200) by three strokes over Fresno State's Bhavik Patel and California's Michael Weaver
Skinny: A year ago, Steve Desimone's Cal squad caught some people off guard by coming out and claiming the traditional spring opener. The Bears won't catch many people by surprise this time around, however, being the 14th ranked team in the final Golf World/Nike Golf coaches' poll with two team wins in the fall and three players with sub-72.0 scoring averages.
JU Invitational
(For live scoring, click here to link to Golfstat)
TPC Sawgrass Players Stadium Course, Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.
Jan. 31- Feb. 1
Host: Jacksonville
Field: Charleston Southern, Clemson, East Carolina, East Tennessee State, Florida, Florida Gulf Coast, Georgia State, Jacksonville, Jacksonville State, James Madison, Liberty, Mercer, North Florida, Old Dominion, Wake Forest
Defending champion: East Tennessee State (29-over 893) by seven strokes over Wake Forest; Wake Forest's Brendon Gielow (two-over 218) by one stroke over Charleston Southern's Kelvin Day
Skinny: The Stadium Course isn't the easiest venue for players to knock off the winter rust, with third-ranked Florida the clear favorite on paper. It will be interesting to see what kind of start Clemson can get off to, seeing that the Tigers finished the fall unranked and with a 21-31-1 record head-to-head against their opponents.
Hawaii-Hilo Invitational
(For live scoring, click here to link to Golfstat)
Waikoloa Beach Resort, Kohala Coast, Hawaii
Feb. 2-4
Host: Hawaii-Hilo
Field: Arizona State, Colorado, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Hawaii, Hawaii-Hilo, Oklahoma State, Oregon, Oregon State, San Francisco, San Jose State, Stanford, TCU, Texas, Texas Tech, UC Davis, UCLA, USC, Washington, Western Washington
Defending champion: Stanford (two-over 866) by three strokes over Oregon and Washington; Texas' Bobby Hudson (seven-under 209) by one stroke over Florida State's Brooks Koepka
Skinny: Three of the top five schools in the Golf World/Nike Golf coaches' poll, including top-ranked Oklahoma State, and eight of the top 25 make the trip to the Pacific isle.
My look at the top five teams in the country right now
MEN
1. Oklahoma State (Last edition: 1)To those Cowboy fans who believe I've been showing disrespect to Brandon Weeden and his addition to the OSU roster, that's not my intention. Adding the All-Big 12 quarterback could prove to be a brilliant move by Mike McGraw in terms of having this veteran athlete relate his experiences to the team and offer some leadership. My point, though, is that it's going to be highly unlikely he ever actually cracks the starting five on a team as talented as OSU.
Spring opener: Hawaii-Hilo Invitational, Waikoloa Beach Resort, Kohala Coast, Hawaii, Feb. 2-4
2. UCLA (2)Gregor Main and Patrick Cantlay got nice starts to the spring season by attending the U.S. Walker Cup practice session earlier this month in Florida. The Bruins will need any edge they can get considering they have arguably the toughest schedule of any team entering the second half of the 2010-11 campaign.
Spring opener: Hawaii-Hilo Invitational, Waikoloa Beach Resort, Kohala Coast, Hawaii, Feb. 2-4
3. Florida (4)You've got to like the Gators chances to get off to a good start in the spring; they're one of only two top-25 teams competing at the Stadium Course in their opening tournament, then play host at the Gator Invitational, an event they have won the past seven years.
Spring opener: Jacksonville Invitational, TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., Feb. 1-2
4. Alabama (3)The cover of the Crimson Tide's interactive media guide is great. If the players carry half the swagger it looks like they have in those pictures, the Tide will most certainly roll this spring. Most importantly, I think they can back that attitude up on the course.
Spring opener: Puerto Rico Classic, Rio Mar CC, Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, Feb. 20-22
5. Georgia Tech (NR)OK, maybe I'm guilty of drinking the Kool-Aid, but after talking with Bruce Heppler about his squad, I like the fact he's got four guys back from a team that reached match play at last year's NCAA Championship. Better yet, three (J.T. Griffin, Kyle Scott and Paul Haley) are fifth-year seniors who've all but wrapped up their academic load and will be able to focus pretty exclusively on golf this semester.
Spring opener: Hawaii-Hilo Invitational, Waikoloa Beach Resort, Kohala Coast, Hawaii, Feb. 2-4
WOMEN
1. Alabama (1)The Crimson Tide enter the spring with a shag bag full of expectations. The players no doubt have the talent to claim conference and national titles, but how will having the proverbial bullseye on their back after their mental approach? That's the biggest question for Alabama fans entering the spring
Spring opener: Lady Puerto Rico Classic, Rio Mar CC (River Course), Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, Feb. 13-15
2. UCLA (2)I don't think there is any clear cut favorite in the women's game, with the Bruins hanging tough with Alabama and the others behind them not far away either. However, if I had to pick one team could run away from everyone this spring, I think I'd go with the ladies of Westwood.
Spring opener: Northrop Grumman Regional Challenge, Palos Verdes GC, Palos Verdes, Calif., Feb. 14-16
3. USC (3)Considering all the roster turnover in the offseason, the Trojans' fall performance was impressively strong. Only true concern is whether Lisa McCloskey can sustain the level of play she's shown since last summer. It's a lot to expect out of anyone to play at as high a level as she has.
Spring opener: Northrop Grumman Regional Challenge, Palos Verdes GC, Palos Verdes, Calif., Feb. 14-16
4. LSU (4)The Tigers may benefit from having the spotlight in the southeast on Alabama. Let the Crimson Tide be the team everyone is chasing. Karen Bahnsen has enough good players to give anyone a run for their money this spring.
Spring opener: Central District Invitational, River Wilderness GC, Parrish, Fla., Feb. 21-22
5. Purdue (5)Had Proposal 2010-99, which would have likely severely limited teams ability to compete in U.S. territories, not been defeated at the recent NCAA Convention, this tournament likely would have been played for the last time. Don't be surprised if Purdue coach Devon Brouse and his group celebrate the proposal's demise by running off with the team title.
Spring opener: Lady Puerto Rico Classic, Rio Mar CC (River Course), Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, Feb. 13-15
STAT OF THE WEEK
4.44 & 5.84
Average number of tournaments being played by the top 25 teams on the Golf World/NGCA women's coaches' poll compared to the average number of tournaments being played by the top 25 teams on the Golf World/Nike Golf men's coaches' poll.
RANDOM THOUGHT OF THE WEEK
We're all getting old here as Phil Mickelson is set to play in the PGA Tour stop at Torrey Pines this week for the 22nd time in his career.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
Over the past decade, college programs have routinely filled out their rosters at mid-season by bringing in new recruits at the start of the spring semester. News out of Atlanta, though, put a different twist on the practice of January freshman, or J frosh, one that might be something other schools look into down the road.
Ollie Schniederjans and Anders Albertson both joined the Georgia Tech men's team earlier this month, enrolling at school after being among the top high school prospects in the state of Georgia. While on scholarship and able to practice and play for the team, the current plan says Yellow Jacket coach Bruce Heppler is for the two not to play in any tournaments during the spring semester, using the time instead to get acclimated to college life and keeping their full four years of eligibility. It's the same blueprint that was followed a year ago by current Tech freshman Richard Werenski.
Heppler said the idea behind the early enrollment, a practice that's caught on dramatically in college football, is fairly obvious. By starting school a semester early, the players have a chance to get acclimated to campus life. Similarly, they get a chance to assimilate into the team environment, get comfortable with the practice routines and learn the golf courses the school uses without the pressure that comes with leaving campus while traveling to events.
"It lets you get your feet wet and learn how to go to college, learn how to start balancing your time," Heppler said. "You begin to have some very long days, which is eventually what college golfers are going to face. To get ahead of that, I think is tremendous."
Heppler noted that Werenski's contributions to the team this past fall, when he played in four tournaments and posted a 73.83 average, can be attributed at least partially to his early enrollment the previous January and having gone through the transition to college well before the 2010-11 season got underway. Particularly, having already played against most of his teammates in qualifiers last spring allow him to be more at ease when they competed again this fall.
In the case of Schniederjans, the Power Springs, Ga., native had considered wrapping up high school a full year early, but wanted to compete in the Junior Ryder Cup among other events last fall. Having already accelerated his high school class schedule, he was able to graduate in December and begin college early. Albertson, from Woodstock, Ga., had also taken larger high-school class loads, which allowed him to inquire about early college enrollment when he met with Heppler.
There are some down sides to bringing in players mid-year, Heppler notes, particularly knowing they aren't likely going to contribute in regular-season and post-season events. There's a risk of alienating high school coaches who will be losing some of their best players during there scholastic seasons in the spring. "Ollie's team won the state championship last year and won it a couple times before," Heppler said, noting that his coach wasn't happy to see him go but understood the situation. "It's not like football, where the players wrap up their senior seasons in the fall and can go off to college without hurting their high school team."
Additionally, there's the cost of tuition, dorms and books. Most schools don't necessarily have scholarship money laying around, nor are coaches inclined to doll out the dollars to players that aren't expected to play. "We were in a situation where we could help these guys this semester and make it where it was affordable for them [to enroll early]," said Heppler, who also noted that both players academic standing allowed them to receive funds through the state's Hope Scholarship program.
For these reasons, Heppler said he didn't think early enrollments for golfers who weren't actually going to compete during the spring would become a regular practice any time soon. "With home schooling, where you've got some flexibility with [when a player is done with high school], maybe you'll see it. But there are some challenges getting it done."
Another potential wrench in the early-acclimation plan: if the early enrollee starts playing well in practice and qualifiers. Heppler said that in the Yellow Jackets qualifying for next week's Hawaii-Hilo Invitational, Albertson actually finished second and earned a spot on the travel team. Heppler gave his newcomer a choice, and Albertson decided to stay home rather than start the clock on his eligibility.
"But you know to jump in there and have some success against some guys that next year you're going to be playing against to [make the starting lineup]," Heppler said. "I think that does a lot for your confidence."
Indeed, with three fifth-year seniors on the roster this year, Heppler knows that he'll have some holes to fill on his roster come next fall. Having Schneiderjans and Albertson already on campus will likely go a long way to addressing that issue.
TOURNAMENT PREVIEWS
MEN
Arizona Intercollegiate
(For live scoring, click here to link to Golfstat)
Arizona National GC, Tuscon
Jan. 31-Feb. 1
Host: Arizona
Field: Arizona, BYU, California, Fresno State, Hartford, New Mexico, Pacific, Pepperdine, San Diego State, UC Irvine, UC Riverside, UTEP, UT San Antonio, UNLV, Utah
Defending champion: California (29-under 823) by one stroke over Arizona; Arizona's Rich Saferian (13-under 200) by three strokes over Fresno State's Bhavik Patel and California's Michael Weaver
Skinny: A year ago, Steve Desimone's Cal squad caught some people off guard by coming out and claiming the traditional spring opener. The Bears won't catch many people by surprise this time around, however, being the 14th ranked team in the final Golf World/Nike Golf coaches' poll with two team wins in the fall and three players with sub-72.0 scoring averages.
JU Invitational
(For live scoring, click here to link to Golfstat)
TPC Sawgrass Players Stadium Course, Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.
Jan. 31- Feb. 1
Host: Jacksonville
Field: Charleston Southern, Clemson, East Carolina, East Tennessee State, Florida, Florida Gulf Coast, Georgia State, Jacksonville, Jacksonville State, James Madison, Liberty, Mercer, North Florida, Old Dominion, Wake Forest
Defending champion: East Tennessee State (29-over 893) by seven strokes over Wake Forest; Wake Forest's Brendon Gielow (two-over 218) by one stroke over Charleston Southern's Kelvin Day
Skinny: The Stadium Course isn't the easiest venue for players to knock off the winter rust, with third-ranked Florida the clear favorite on paper. It will be interesting to see what kind of start Clemson can get off to, seeing that the Tigers finished the fall unranked and with a 21-31-1 record head-to-head against their opponents.
Hawaii-Hilo Invitational
(For live scoring, click here to link to Golfstat)
Waikoloa Beach Resort, Kohala Coast, Hawaii
Feb. 2-4
Host: Hawaii-Hilo
Field: Arizona State, Colorado, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Hawaii, Hawaii-Hilo, Oklahoma State, Oregon, Oregon State, San Francisco, San Jose State, Stanford, TCU, Texas, Texas Tech, UC Davis, UCLA, USC, Washington, Western Washington
Defending champion: Stanford (two-over 866) by three strokes over Oregon and Washington; Texas' Bobby Hudson (seven-under 209) by one stroke over Florida State's Brooks Koepka
Skinny: Three of the top five schools in the Golf World/Nike Golf coaches' poll, including top-ranked Oklahoma State, and eight of the top 25 make the trip to the Pacific isle.
How tough is your team's spring schedule?
Continuing my kick with looking at the spring college tournament schedule and identifying events with the most ranked teams in their fields, it got me curious which men's and women's teams would be facing the most ranked teams during the spring season. Such data would provide a decent metric regarding which schools were going to be playing the toughest schedules in the coming months.
Like I did to identify the toughest tournaments, I went through the spring schedule for every team that received a vote in the final fall edition of Golf World's men's and women's polls. For all schools I calculated how many top-10 teams they will be facing in their tournaments in the spring, how many top-25 opponents they will encounter and how many schools they will compete against that received at least one vote in the final fall poll.
Below is what I uncovered. Schools are listed in the order based on who will be facing the most schools that received a vote. I broke down my charts by top 25 teams and by all teams receiving votes.
The results? On the men's side, the two schools in Los Angeles (UCLA and USC) will face the stiffest competition among ranked programs. Both will compete against 14 top-10 teams, more than 40 top-25 teams and more than 60 schools that received votes in the men's poll. Meanwhile, after having a rough fall season in which they finished in the top five in only two of four events and had a head-to-head record of 16-29, Arizona State will find getting back over the .500 mark to be a challenge considering they have the "toughest" spring schedule of any non-ranked team in the country.
As for the women, there is more bunching regarding what schools will have the bumpiest roads this spring. North Carolina, Duke, Virginia and Alabama all will see teams receiving votes in the Golf World/NGCA coaches' poll 51 times this spring, with the Tar Heels seeing the most top-10 opponents (19). Meanwhile, four other schools, LSU, Auburn, TCU and Purdue, all will compete against 50 schools that received votes.
MEN
Top 25 teams
Like I did to identify the toughest tournaments, I went through the spring schedule for every team that received a vote in the final fall edition of Golf World's men's and women's polls. For all schools I calculated how many top-10 teams they will be facing in their tournaments in the spring, how many top-25 opponents they will encounter and how many schools they will compete against that received at least one vote in the final fall poll.
Below is what I uncovered. Schools are listed in the order based on who will be facing the most schools that received a vote. I broke down my charts by top 25 teams and by all teams receiving votes.
The results? On the men's side, the two schools in Los Angeles (UCLA and USC) will face the stiffest competition among ranked programs. Both will compete against 14 top-10 teams, more than 40 top-25 teams and more than 60 schools that received votes in the men's poll. Meanwhile, after having a rough fall season in which they finished in the top five in only two of four events and had a head-to-head record of 16-29, Arizona State will find getting back over the .500 mark to be a challenge considering they have the "toughest" spring schedule of any non-ranked team in the country.
As for the women, there is more bunching regarding what schools will have the bumpiest roads this spring. North Carolina, Duke, Virginia and Alabama all will see teams receiving votes in the Golf World/NGCA coaches' poll 51 times this spring, with the Tar Heels seeing the most top-10 opponents (19). Meanwhile, four other schools, LSU, Auburn, TCU and Purdue, all will compete against 50 schools that received votes.
MEN
Top 25 teams
Ranking the top spring tournaments
Tick, tick, tick.
The second half of the 2010-11 season is slowly drawing near (too slowly for those in the snow-bound Northeast). As I anxiously await the end of the winter break, it got me thinking about what might be the top tournaments on the men's and women's spring schedules.
While subjectively there are certain events that come to mind quickly, I decided to use the Golf World college coaches' rankings to try and make things a bit more scientific. I looked at the scheduled for every men's team that received at least one vote in the final fall Golf World/Nike Golf poll and every women's team that received at least one vote in the final fall Golf World/NGCA poll.
Listed below are the top 15 men's and women's tournaments, ranked in order of which events have the most teams in their field that have received at least one vote in the coaches' poll. The chart also breaks down how many schools ranked in the top five, top 10 and top 25 are in the field if you prefer those as a barometer for how "strong" an event is.
So what is the toughest spring events? On the men's side, UNLV's Southern Highlands Collegiate Masters in Las Vegas, which will be held March 11-13, has 14 teams in the field that received votes in the Golf World/Nike Golf coaches' poll and 10 schools that are ranked in the top 25. As for the women, the Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic at the University of Georgia GC, set for April 1-3, has 18 teams in the field that also received votes for the Golf World/NGCA coaches' poll and 15 top-25 programs set to compete.
MEN
WOMEN
The second half of the 2010-11 season is slowly drawing near (too slowly for those in the snow-bound Northeast). As I anxiously await the end of the winter break, it got me thinking about what might be the top tournaments on the men's and women's spring schedules.
While subjectively there are certain events that come to mind quickly, I decided to use the Golf World college coaches' rankings to try and make things a bit more scientific. I looked at the scheduled for every men's team that received at least one vote in the final fall Golf World/Nike Golf poll and every women's team that received at least one vote in the final fall Golf World/NGCA poll.
Listed below are the top 15 men's and women's tournaments, ranked in order of which events have the most teams in their field that have received at least one vote in the coaches' poll. The chart also breaks down how many schools ranked in the top five, top 10 and top 25 are in the field if you prefer those as a barometer for how "strong" an event is.
So what is the toughest spring events? On the men's side, UNLV's Southern Highlands Collegiate Masters in Las Vegas, which will be held March 11-13, has 14 teams in the field that received votes in the Golf World/Nike Golf coaches' poll and 10 schools that are ranked in the top 25. As for the women, the Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic at the University of Georgia GC, set for April 1-3, has 18 teams in the field that also received votes for the Golf World/NGCA coaches' poll and 15 top-25 programs set to compete.
MEN
WOMEN
Campus Insider Podcast/ASU's Melissa Luellen
Joining me on the first Podcast for 2011 is Arizona State women's coach Melissa Luellen to talk about the unusual situation the Sun Devils found themselves in last fall--having just two players on the official roster at the start of the semester--and the new group that she'll be coaching this spring.
Below is the entire ASU roster that will compete for Luellen and the Sun Devils spring schedule. One newsworthy tidbid you'll hear during the podcast is that All-American Carlota Ciganda, one of the two players back from last year's squad, has decided that she will turn pro after the NCAA Championship in May and forgo her final year of eligibility at ASU.
ASU ROSTER
Laura Blanco
Carlota Ciganda*
Kylee Duede
Justine Lee
Brittany McKee
Giulia Molinaro*
Daniela Ordonez
* returning players
SPRING SCHEDULE
Wildcat Invitational, Feb. 7-8
Northrup Grumman Invitational, Feb. 14-16
Sugar Bowl Intercollegiate, Feb. 27-March 1
Tri-Meet (Arizona & New Mexico), March 5
Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational, March 14-15
Dual Match (Hawaii), March 16
Aztec Invitational, March 20-22
Ping/ASU Invitational, April 1-3
Pac-10 Championship, April 17-19
Below is the entire ASU roster that will compete for Luellen and the Sun Devils spring schedule. One newsworthy tidbid you'll hear during the podcast is that All-American Carlota Ciganda, one of the two players back from last year's squad, has decided that she will turn pro after the NCAA Championship in May and forgo her final year of eligibility at ASU.
ASU ROSTER
Laura Blanco
Carlota Ciganda*
Kylee Duede
Justine Lee
Brittany McKee
Giulia Molinaro*
Daniela Ordonez
* returning players
SPRING SCHEDULE
Wildcat Invitational, Feb. 7-8
Northrup Grumman Invitational, Feb. 14-16
Sugar Bowl Intercollegiate, Feb. 27-March 1
Tri-Meet (Arizona & New Mexico), March 5
Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational, March 14-15
Dual Match (Hawaii), March 16
Aztec Invitational, March 20-22
Ping/ASU Invitational, April 1-3
Pac-10 Championship, April 17-19
Putting the breaks on accelerated recruiting
I've written previously about the recruiting process in college golf and how it has "accelerated" over the last decade. What I mean is that high school golfers have begun taking unofficial visits to schools and making verbal commitments to colleges at a younger and younger age (late sophomore year or early junior year). Simultaneously coaches are encouraging these visits and making offers to younger and younger golfers (I won't get into the chicken-or-the-egg part of how this happened, except to say both side are equally involved in the actual acceleration).
This phenomenon is not isolated to college golf but taking place in other sports as well, which explains how Proposal 2010-42 became drafted and now is up for a vote by the Division I delegates in San Antonio attending the NCAA Annual Convention that begins today. The proposal, among dozens being reviewed, would prevent coaches from making verbal offers of financial aid to prospective student-athletes before July 1 following their junior year in high school. Additionally, it would require schools to have a PSA's first five semesters or seven quarters worth of high school academic information on file at a university before a coach could extend an aid offer, thus better identifying whether the PSA is a reasonable academic fit with an interested school.
Several golf coaches at last month's GCAA and NGCA annual meetings in Las Vegas chuckled upon hearing about the proposal, primarily because they couldn't figure out how the prohibition on verbal offers could actually be enforced by the NCAA. It's a legitimate question, but one for another day as it strays away from the point behind the measure.
Coaches concerned about accelerated recruiting contend that PSAs who make verbal commitments to colleges as early in high school are making decisions too hastily and before they can engage in any significant dialogue with coaches much less properly research the alternatives available to them. They don't even bother taking official visits in their senior years, forgoing the valuable information that can be gleaned on these trips.
Moreover, concerned coaches argue that as the trend continues, PSAs feel pressure if they don't make an early verbal commitment, suspecting that possible scholarship opportunities will evaporate without a quick decision, which then perpetuates the cycle of the accelerated decision. Thus, Proposal 2010-42's supporters say that by preventing coaches from being able to make a verbal financial-aid offer until after a PSAs junior year of high school, the breaks can be applied on the accelerator.
I'm on record as saying I too am concerned with the accelerated recruiting process, for the reasons stated above as well as the fact I believe another year or two of high school, and the maturity that comes with it, will allow PSAs to make better, more educated college choices. However, I have had worthwhile conversations with a handful of coaches who question my stance. They raised at least one possible flaw in my argument in that I might not be properly acknowledging that many PSAs who make early verbals aren't doing it haphazardly but are putting in as much due diligence in their search, if not more, than before. They're just doing it earlier. Fair point, and I need to be careful in painting too broad a brush in questioning the decisions of anyone who picks a school early.
Texas A&M men's coach J.T. Higgins made a point that I hadn't given any real consideration to before but is worth throwing out there to see what people think. Higgins starts from the premise that PSAs are the ones that are in favor of/pushing the accelerated recruiting process; they want to have their choice made and done with in order to return to focusing on their golf games. Rather than try to force them to delay their decision making, Higgins wonders if NCAA legislation should be drafted/passed to give PSAs the tools to make more educated decisions when they're younger. If the official visit is so important for a PSA in choosing a school, why not allow them to be taken during a player's junior year of high school instead of just his/her senior year? In other words, instead of applying breaks, provide an airbag so that PSAs can make their selection of schools when they want to but have the all resources to make sure it's the right selection.
I can't say Higgins has swayed me to switch sides on this debate, but he makes a point worth contemplating. Curious to get other thoughts on the matter.
EDITOR'S NOTE, Jan. 18--Proposal 2010-42 was defeated at the NCAA Convention. Among the reasons given was a difficulty in monitoring and enforcing the new verbal commitment date.
This phenomenon is not isolated to college golf but taking place in other sports as well, which explains how Proposal 2010-42 became drafted and now is up for a vote by the Division I delegates in San Antonio attending the NCAA Annual Convention that begins today. The proposal, among dozens being reviewed, would prevent coaches from making verbal offers of financial aid to prospective student-athletes before July 1 following their junior year in high school. Additionally, it would require schools to have a PSA's first five semesters or seven quarters worth of high school academic information on file at a university before a coach could extend an aid offer, thus better identifying whether the PSA is a reasonable academic fit with an interested school.
Several golf coaches at last month's GCAA and NGCA annual meetings in Las Vegas chuckled upon hearing about the proposal, primarily because they couldn't figure out how the prohibition on verbal offers could actually be enforced by the NCAA. It's a legitimate question, but one for another day as it strays away from the point behind the measure.
Coaches concerned about accelerated recruiting contend that PSAs who make verbal commitments to colleges as early in high school are making decisions too hastily and before they can engage in any significant dialogue with coaches much less properly research the alternatives available to them. They don't even bother taking official visits in their senior years, forgoing the valuable information that can be gleaned on these trips.
Moreover, concerned coaches argue that as the trend continues, PSAs feel pressure if they don't make an early verbal commitment, suspecting that possible scholarship opportunities will evaporate without a quick decision, which then perpetuates the cycle of the accelerated decision. Thus, Proposal 2010-42's supporters say that by preventing coaches from being able to make a verbal financial-aid offer until after a PSAs junior year of high school, the breaks can be applied on the accelerator.
I'm on record as saying I too am concerned with the accelerated recruiting process, for the reasons stated above as well as the fact I believe another year or two of high school, and the maturity that comes with it, will allow PSAs to make better, more educated college choices. However, I have had worthwhile conversations with a handful of coaches who question my stance. They raised at least one possible flaw in my argument in that I might not be properly acknowledging that many PSAs who make early verbals aren't doing it haphazardly but are putting in as much due diligence in their search, if not more, than before. They're just doing it earlier. Fair point, and I need to be careful in painting too broad a brush in questioning the decisions of anyone who picks a school early.
Texas A&M men's coach J.T. Higgins made a point that I hadn't given any real consideration to before but is worth throwing out there to see what people think. Higgins starts from the premise that PSAs are the ones that are in favor of/pushing the accelerated recruiting process; they want to have their choice made and done with in order to return to focusing on their golf games. Rather than try to force them to delay their decision making, Higgins wonders if NCAA legislation should be drafted/passed to give PSAs the tools to make more educated decisions when they're younger. If the official visit is so important for a PSA in choosing a school, why not allow them to be taken during a player's junior year of high school instead of just his/her senior year? In other words, instead of applying breaks, provide an airbag so that PSAs can make their selection of schools when they want to but have the all resources to make sure it's the right selection.
I can't say Higgins has swayed me to switch sides on this debate, but he makes a point worth contemplating. Curious to get other thoughts on the matter.
EDITOR'S NOTE, Jan. 18--Proposal 2010-42 was defeated at the NCAA Convention. Among the reasons given was a difficulty in monitoring and enforcing the new verbal commitment date.
This Week's Syllabus: Early January edition
FAB FIVE
My look at the top five teams in the country right now
MEN
1. Oklahoma State (Last edition: 1)
Peter Uihlein closed out 2010 in style with a victory at the Dixie Amateur. While it's going to be hard for him to top last year, I wouldn't put it past him.
Spring opener: The Amer Ari Invitational, Mauna Lani North, Kohala Coast, Hawaii, Feb. 2-4
2. UCLA (3)
Still impressed with the way the Bruins closed the fall, the 11-stroke comeback in the final round changing into a 13-stroke victory. Deep squad has lots to look forward to in the spring.
Spring opener: The Amer Ari Invitational, Mauna Lani North, Kohala Coast, Hawaii, Feb. 2-4
3. Alabama (2)
Lots of talent in Tuscaloosa, what with four different players posting top-20 finishes in the fall, but also lots of expectations after two victories, a third and a fourth.
Spring opener: Puerto Rico Classic, Rio Mar CC, Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, Feb. 20-22
4. Florida (4)
Bank Vongvanij's second-place finish at yesterday's New Year's Invitational suggests he's ready to continue the momentum from the fall. Michael Furci's T-4 showing is an added bonus.
Spring opener: Jacksonville Invitational, TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., Feb. 1-2
5. Iowa (5)
I'm sure many are still trying to figure out what to make of the Hawkeyes. Four wins tells me they're for real. Interestingly, Mark Hankins' squad doesn't play a multi-day, stroke-play tournament until April 2-3.
Spring opener: Big Four Match-Play Championship, Scottsdale, Ariz., Feb. 5
WOMEN
1. Alabama (2)
I look at this a lot like the Alabama men's football team. The Tide came off a disappointing end of the season loss to Auburn, only to bounce back in convincing fashion versus Michigan State at the Capital One Bowl. For the women's golf team, its 11-shot second-place finish to UCLA at the Pac-10/SEC Challenge likely will serve as a bit of a wake-up call that winning an NCAA title isn't going to be easy. But it is out there for them should they put in the work.
Spring opener: Lady Puerto Rico Classic, Rio Mar CC (River Course), Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, Feb. 13-15
2. UCLA (1)
It's hard to knock anything the Bruins did, particularly after closing out the fall with two victories. The only reservation would be whether the nice momentum Carrie Forsyth's team had built can carry over into the spring.
Spring opener: Northrop Grumman Regional Challenge, Palos Verdes GC, Palos Verdes, Calif., Feb. 14-16
3. USC (4)
While winless in the fall, the Trojans had plenty to be happy about. Transfer Lisa McCloskey played like anything but a newcomer and senior Lizette Salas remains among the most underrated golfers in the country.
Spring opener: Northrop Grumman Regional Challenge, Palos Verdes GC, Palos Verdes, Calif., Feb. 14-16
4. LSU (3)
The Tigers will need more of the same from Megan McChrystal (68.89 scoring average) come the spring, but have the depth to back her up. Best thing for LSU fans might be the fact that the team has an SEC rival in Alabama to serve as extra motivation during the second semester.
Spring opener: Central District Invitational, River Wilderness GC, Parrish, Fla., Feb. 21-22
5. Purdue (5)
A pair of Boilermakers have enjoy success during the winter break. Paula Reto claimed the Dixie Amateur title last week after Alex Stewart won the Arizona Silver Belle Championship Dec. 30.
Spring opener: Lady Puerto Rico Classic, Rio Mar CC (River Course), Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, Feb. 13-15
STAT OF THE WEEK
5
Number of NCAA D-I golf championships (1976, '92 and '98 men's; 1987 and 2008 women's) held at the University of New Mexico GC, which could be closed after the school found the facility to be $4.6 million in debt. The school's Board of Regents is expected to make a decision about the course in April.
RANDOM THOUGHT OF THE WEEK
Feels like the only thing longer than waiting for the spring golf season to start during the winter break is waiting for the national championship football game to finally be played.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
* Speaking of the BCS National Championship game, both Oregon men's coach Casey Martin and Auburn men's coach Nick Clinard have tickets for contest in Glendale, Ariz. No surprise that both coaches are predicting their school's team will be victorious. The two have yet to make a friendly wager on the game as of last week, although Clinard said that he intended to text Martin when he got to the desert.
"I've never been to a championship game so it will be kind of fun to see what it is all about," said Clinard, who got to about 80 percent of the Tigers' home games this fall.
Martin's rooting ties have a unique twist. During the 2009 season, he served as the Ducks unofficial uniform coordinator, picking what the team wore for each game from the myriad of options available through the school's deal with Nike. This season, however, the apparel maker took over the duties from Martin.
* The USGA seems inclined to move up the traditional dates of the U.S. Amateur one week on the calendar, in part after hearing college coaches and player lament about how having the championship held in the last full week in August is starting to overlap with the first days of classes at several universities. However, according to senior director of rules and competitions Mike Davis, the association's executive committee is waiting on the PGA of America to announce when it will be holding the PGA Championship in 2013 and beyond before it makes an adjustment to the U.S. Amateur schedule that might create any overlap between the two events.
"If the PGA Championshpi was not going to be that [same] week, I really think the USGA would move [the Amateur]," said Davis, who noted that until then the association is in a "holding pattern."
It wasn't just collegians that had make inquiries about moving up the date of the Amateur. So too did the USGA's TV partners, according to Davis. "Television actually came to us," he noted, "and said, 'You know what, we think we would get more people watching the U.S. Amateur if we moved it a week early."
My look at the top five teams in the country right now
MEN
1. Oklahoma State (Last edition: 1)Peter Uihlein closed out 2010 in style with a victory at the Dixie Amateur. While it's going to be hard for him to top last year, I wouldn't put it past him.
Spring opener: The Amer Ari Invitational, Mauna Lani North, Kohala Coast, Hawaii, Feb. 2-4
2. UCLA (3)Still impressed with the way the Bruins closed the fall, the 11-stroke comeback in the final round changing into a 13-stroke victory. Deep squad has lots to look forward to in the spring.
Spring opener: The Amer Ari Invitational, Mauna Lani North, Kohala Coast, Hawaii, Feb. 2-4
3. Alabama (2)Lots of talent in Tuscaloosa, what with four different players posting top-20 finishes in the fall, but also lots of expectations after two victories, a third and a fourth.
Spring opener: Puerto Rico Classic, Rio Mar CC, Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, Feb. 20-22
4. Florida (4)Bank Vongvanij's second-place finish at yesterday's New Year's Invitational suggests he's ready to continue the momentum from the fall. Michael Furci's T-4 showing is an added bonus.
Spring opener: Jacksonville Invitational, TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., Feb. 1-2
5. Iowa (5)I'm sure many are still trying to figure out what to make of the Hawkeyes. Four wins tells me they're for real. Interestingly, Mark Hankins' squad doesn't play a multi-day, stroke-play tournament until April 2-3.
Spring opener: Big Four Match-Play Championship, Scottsdale, Ariz., Feb. 5
WOMEN
1. Alabama (2)I look at this a lot like the Alabama men's football team. The Tide came off a disappointing end of the season loss to Auburn, only to bounce back in convincing fashion versus Michigan State at the Capital One Bowl. For the women's golf team, its 11-shot second-place finish to UCLA at the Pac-10/SEC Challenge likely will serve as a bit of a wake-up call that winning an NCAA title isn't going to be easy. But it is out there for them should they put in the work.
Spring opener: Lady Puerto Rico Classic, Rio Mar CC (River Course), Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, Feb. 13-15
2. UCLA (1)It's hard to knock anything the Bruins did, particularly after closing out the fall with two victories. The only reservation would be whether the nice momentum Carrie Forsyth's team had built can carry over into the spring.
Spring opener: Northrop Grumman Regional Challenge, Palos Verdes GC, Palos Verdes, Calif., Feb. 14-16
3. USC (4)While winless in the fall, the Trojans had plenty to be happy about. Transfer Lisa McCloskey played like anything but a newcomer and senior Lizette Salas remains among the most underrated golfers in the country.
Spring opener: Northrop Grumman Regional Challenge, Palos Verdes GC, Palos Verdes, Calif., Feb. 14-16
4. LSU (3)The Tigers will need more of the same from Megan McChrystal (68.89 scoring average) come the spring, but have the depth to back her up. Best thing for LSU fans might be the fact that the team has an SEC rival in Alabama to serve as extra motivation during the second semester.
Spring opener: Central District Invitational, River Wilderness GC, Parrish, Fla., Feb. 21-22
5. Purdue (5)A pair of Boilermakers have enjoy success during the winter break. Paula Reto claimed the Dixie Amateur title last week after Alex Stewart won the Arizona Silver Belle Championship Dec. 30.
Spring opener: Lady Puerto Rico Classic, Rio Mar CC (River Course), Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, Feb. 13-15
STAT OF THE WEEK
5
Number of NCAA D-I golf championships (1976, '92 and '98 men's; 1987 and 2008 women's) held at the University of New Mexico GC, which could be closed after the school found the facility to be $4.6 million in debt. The school's Board of Regents is expected to make a decision about the course in April.
RANDOM THOUGHT OF THE WEEK
Feels like the only thing longer than waiting for the spring golf season to start during the winter break is waiting for the national championship football game to finally be played.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
* Speaking of the BCS National Championship game, both Oregon men's coach Casey Martin and Auburn men's coach Nick Clinard have tickets for contest in Glendale, Ariz. No surprise that both coaches are predicting their school's team will be victorious. The two have yet to make a friendly wager on the game as of last week, although Clinard said that he intended to text Martin when he got to the desert.
"I've never been to a championship game so it will be kind of fun to see what it is all about," said Clinard, who got to about 80 percent of the Tigers' home games this fall.
Martin's rooting ties have a unique twist. During the 2009 season, he served as the Ducks unofficial uniform coordinator, picking what the team wore for each game from the myriad of options available through the school's deal with Nike. This season, however, the apparel maker took over the duties from Martin.
* The USGA seems inclined to move up the traditional dates of the U.S. Amateur one week on the calendar, in part after hearing college coaches and player lament about how having the championship held in the last full week in August is starting to overlap with the first days of classes at several universities. However, according to senior director of rules and competitions Mike Davis, the association's executive committee is waiting on the PGA of America to announce when it will be holding the PGA Championship in 2013 and beyond before it makes an adjustment to the U.S. Amateur schedule that might create any overlap between the two events.
"If the PGA Championshpi was not going to be that [same] week, I really think the USGA would move [the Amateur]," said Davis, who noted that until then the association is in a "holding pattern."
It wasn't just collegians that had make inquiries about moving up the date of the Amateur. So too did the USGA's TV partners, according to Davis. "Television actually came to us," he noted, "and said, 'You know what, we think we would get more people watching the U.S. Amateur if we moved it a week early."
NCAA proposal could harm Puerto Rico events
With the NCAA Annual Convention beginning next week in San Antonio, college golf fans have a handful of reasons to pay attention to what takes place Jan. 12-15 in the Lone Star State. One includes a proposal that would impact the time table for when a coach can make a verbal offer to a prospective student athlete, a topic I'll revisit down the road.
The other matter that deserves a close look revolves around Proposal 2010-99, which would amend the NCAA bylaws to eliminate the chance for schools or conferences to take foreign tours as well as restrict competition in U.S. territories to once every four years. Put forward by by the Big Ten conference in an attempt to help curb expenses in Olympic sports.
Ironically, in golf it's a Big Ten school—Purdue—that might be the most impacted should the proposal be adopted. Boilermaker coach Devon Brouse hosts a men's tournament in Puerto Rico each February, an event that has a 22-year history, annually attracts some of the country's top programs (this year's field includes Oklahoma State, Alabama, Georgia and Georgia Tech) and has become one of the most highly regard tournaments of the fall season. In recent years, he has also started a women's tournament that has quickly gained popularity.
Should Proposal 2010-99 pass, the likelihood that either event would continue beyond 2011 is doubtful. "I don't know why it would have a lot of appeal for a once-in-four-year [event]," Brouse told me in a recent phone interview.
Heading to a warm climate in February has benefits for most programs, particularly those in northern locations where weather conditions on campus make it difficult to practice/prepare for the pending spring semester. Holding an event in Puerto Rico, says Brouse, provides schools with an alternative to playing events in Hawaii, Arizona and Florida, one that he contends is a cost-effective alternative for many compared to staying and competing on the mainland.
"I can fly to Puerto Rico from Chicago cheaper than I can fly to Phoenix or L.A. or San Francisco, anywhere on the West Coast," Brouse says. "And it's expensive to travel and play in South Florida in February. All the courses are filled up, all the hotels, the rates are high. Yeah, we can find an alternative to [Puerto Rico], but it's not going to be cost containment, which is what the intention is."
"It's just taking away opportunities for students," Brouse continued, "and for a Midwestern program that has a chance to get out of the cold weather in February."
The chances of the proposal passing are unclear. After initially recommending its defeat, the Championships/Sports Management Cabinet gave the proposal its support with the understanding that foreign tours scheduled for summer 2011 could proceed. However, committees representing men's lacrosse, men's soccer and men's and women's track and field have all raised objections.
Additionally, the NCAA Academics Cabinet opposes the proposal, noting that "the cultural and academic benefits association with travel to foreign countries and the limited ability for student-athletes to engage in experiences abroad due to their athletics commitments" make such tours a valuable opportunity for student-athletes.
"I've heard mixed signals," Brouse says. "I think it can go either way honestly. ... It's just a hard pill to swallow if it goes away."
EDITOR'S NOTE, Jan. 18--To the approval of Brouse, Proposal 2010-99 was defeated during the NCAA Convention.
The other matter that deserves a close look revolves around Proposal 2010-99, which would amend the NCAA bylaws to eliminate the chance for schools or conferences to take foreign tours as well as restrict competition in U.S. territories to once every four years. Put forward by by the Big Ten conference in an attempt to help curb expenses in Olympic sports.
Ironically, in golf it's a Big Ten school—Purdue—that might be the most impacted should the proposal be adopted. Boilermaker coach Devon Brouse hosts a men's tournament in Puerto Rico each February, an event that has a 22-year history, annually attracts some of the country's top programs (this year's field includes Oklahoma State, Alabama, Georgia and Georgia Tech) and has become one of the most highly regard tournaments of the fall season. In recent years, he has also started a women's tournament that has quickly gained popularity.
Should Proposal 2010-99 pass, the likelihood that either event would continue beyond 2011 is doubtful. "I don't know why it would have a lot of appeal for a once-in-four-year [event]," Brouse told me in a recent phone interview.
Heading to a warm climate in February has benefits for most programs, particularly those in northern locations where weather conditions on campus make it difficult to practice/prepare for the pending spring semester. Holding an event in Puerto Rico, says Brouse, provides schools with an alternative to playing events in Hawaii, Arizona and Florida, one that he contends is a cost-effective alternative for many compared to staying and competing on the mainland.
"I can fly to Puerto Rico from Chicago cheaper than I can fly to Phoenix or L.A. or San Francisco, anywhere on the West Coast," Brouse says. "And it's expensive to travel and play in South Florida in February. All the courses are filled up, all the hotels, the rates are high. Yeah, we can find an alternative to [Puerto Rico], but it's not going to be cost containment, which is what the intention is."
"It's just taking away opportunities for students," Brouse continued, "and for a Midwestern program that has a chance to get out of the cold weather in February."
The chances of the proposal passing are unclear. After initially recommending its defeat, the Championships/Sports Management Cabinet gave the proposal its support with the understanding that foreign tours scheduled for summer 2011 could proceed. However, committees representing men's lacrosse, men's soccer and men's and women's track and field have all raised objections.
Additionally, the NCAA Academics Cabinet opposes the proposal, noting that "the cultural and academic benefits association with travel to foreign countries and the limited ability for student-athletes to engage in experiences abroad due to their athletics commitments" make such tours a valuable opportunity for student-athletes.
"I've heard mixed signals," Brouse says. "I think it can go either way honestly. ... It's just a hard pill to swallow if it goes away."
EDITOR'S NOTE, Jan. 18--To the approval of Brouse, Proposal 2010-99 was defeated during the NCAA Convention.
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