Photo by: AJ Henderson - Georgia Southern Athletics
Seniors Wrap Up Stellar Golf Careers at Georgia Southern
5/3/2018 7:46:00 AM | Men's Golf
Eagles look ahead to promising future thanks to work of three seniors
STATESBORO - The Georgia Southern men's golf team concluded its season with a runner-up finish at the 2018 Sun Belt Championship in Destin, Florida, last week and while their team ranking of 67th was good enough to put them into the conversation about an NCAA Regional bid, it wasn't quite enough to earn a spot in the field. That doesn't overshadow what was another standout year for head coach Carter Collins and his Eagle team as they have consistently proven to be one of the best in the conference and region.
Junior Steven Fisk earned an at-large individual spot in the field, but the rest of the team will now prepare either for the 2018-19 season or life beyond the college classrooms and golf courses. Three seniors - Archer Price, Jake Storey and Jonas Vaisanen - will move on from the program, leaving behind a solid foundation for the program to continue to build upon.
"Although this program had a great year filled with many record-breaking performances, our team season has come to a close," Collins said. "I am so proud to have been apart of this team and I am very thankful and appreciative of all the hard work they have put in. Each of our three seniors, Jonas, Jake and Archer, have left this program in better condition than when they found it. They will be very successful in their next venture and I couldn't be more proud to have been their coach for the past four years. Thank you Jonas, Jake and Archer."
2017-18 Team Highlights
The Eagles advanced to the Sun Belt Championship match play finals for the second straight season … GS is the only team in the league to advance to match play in each of the past two years … They tied for second at the Sun Belt Championship, the 13 time in the last 16 years GS has placed first or second at the conference championship … With the second-place finish, the Eagles earned a point in the Southern-State Rivalry Challenge.
Georgia Southern had a stretch of placing in the top-6 in 12 of 16 tournaments, dating back to the beginning of 2016-17 season … Archer Price and Jake Storey, along with junior Steven Fisk were in the lineup for all 16 events.
The Eagles topped tourney host Georgia State by 24 strokes to win the Autotrader Collegiate Classic. The Eagles' team total of 847 was tied for the eighth-lowest in school history.
GS place second at the Fighting Irish Classic after leading the tournament in par 5 scoring and in birdies with 56.
GS also took second place in the Cleveland Golf Palmetto Invitational, finishing ahead of 16 other teams … Archer Price and Jake Storey each shot 69, and the team recorded the lowest round of the day with a 286 to move five places up the leaderboard on the final day … It was Georgia Southern's best finish at the Palmetto Intercollegiate.
The team posted the lowest team score at the Schenkel Invitational in school history with an 843 en route to a second-place finish for second consecutive season … The Eagles have finished in the top-3 in four of the past five years of their home tourney, a stretch of success not seen since the five-year period from 1976-80 … Jake Storey and Archer Price both finished with a three-round total of 205, the second lowest for an Eagle at the Schenkel. Buddy Alexander posted a 203 (-13) in 1975.
Senior Highlights
Archer Price
Ranks fifth in the Sun Belt in scoring average (72.34) and posted three top-10 and six top-20 finishes this season while shooting 72 or better in 17 of 32 rounds … Finished tied for second at Schenkel Invitational, tied for third at Palmetto Intercollegiate and tied for fourth at Fighting Irish Classic … Played in 42 career events and was in the lineup for the final 27, dating back to the spring of 2016 … Posted four top-5s, five top-10s and 16 top-20s in his career, and his scoring average of 73.10 ranks sixth in school history … Also compiled a 3-1 record in Sun Belt Championship match play.
Jake Storey
Ranks third in the SBC in scoring average (71.59) and posted four top-5 finishes, including two wins, and seven top-20 outings … Named SBC Golfer of the Week March 15, Storey shot 72 or lower in 17 of 32 rounds, including 14 of 20 in the spring … Earned medalist honors at the GS Individual Collegiate and the Palmetto Intercollegiate, tied for second at the Schenkel Invitational and tied for third at the Sun Belt Championship … Played in 38 career events, including each of the past 23 and posted seven top-5s, including three wins, eight top-10s and 16 top-20s, and his scoring average of 72.45 ranks fifth in school history … Also compiled a 3-1 record in Sun Belt Championship match play.
Jonas Vaisanen
Posted a career-best finish fo tied for 23rd at the Schenkel after carding a 1-under 215 for the tourney … Made 18 career starts for the Eagles and recorded a 74.88 scoring average, posting five top-25 finishes.
Other Highlights
Steven Fisk
Named a semifinalist for the Division I Jack Nicklaus National Player of the Year Award, was selected to the Haskins Award Watch List and the Ben Hogan Award Watch List and spent a majority of the season ranked in the top-10 for the U.S. Palmer Cup team … He will head to Kissimmee Regional as an at-large individual selection to the 2018 NCAA Golf Championships with his sights set on a national title.
Fisk is currently ranked 21st by Golfstat, has shot 72 or better in 25 of 30 rounds this season and finished in the top-10 in seven of 10 events, including three top-5s and two wins … He was named Sun Belt Golfer of the Week three times this season and became the 13th player in college golf history to shoot 60, reaching the mark in the second round of the Warrior Princeville Makai Invitational in October.
Junior Steven Fisk earned an at-large individual spot in the field, but the rest of the team will now prepare either for the 2018-19 season or life beyond the college classrooms and golf courses. Three seniors - Archer Price, Jake Storey and Jonas Vaisanen - will move on from the program, leaving behind a solid foundation for the program to continue to build upon.
"Although this program had a great year filled with many record-breaking performances, our team season has come to a close," Collins said. "I am so proud to have been apart of this team and I am very thankful and appreciative of all the hard work they have put in. Each of our three seniors, Jonas, Jake and Archer, have left this program in better condition than when they found it. They will be very successful in their next venture and I couldn't be more proud to have been their coach for the past four years. Thank you Jonas, Jake and Archer."
2017-18 Team Highlights
The Eagles advanced to the Sun Belt Championship match play finals for the second straight season … GS is the only team in the league to advance to match play in each of the past two years … They tied for second at the Sun Belt Championship, the 13 time in the last 16 years GS has placed first or second at the conference championship … With the second-place finish, the Eagles earned a point in the Southern-State Rivalry Challenge.
Georgia Southern had a stretch of placing in the top-6 in 12 of 16 tournaments, dating back to the beginning of 2016-17 season … Archer Price and Jake Storey, along with junior Steven Fisk were in the lineup for all 16 events.
The Eagles topped tourney host Georgia State by 24 strokes to win the Autotrader Collegiate Classic. The Eagles' team total of 847 was tied for the eighth-lowest in school history.
GS place second at the Fighting Irish Classic after leading the tournament in par 5 scoring and in birdies with 56.
GS also took second place in the Cleveland Golf Palmetto Invitational, finishing ahead of 16 other teams … Archer Price and Jake Storey each shot 69, and the team recorded the lowest round of the day with a 286 to move five places up the leaderboard on the final day … It was Georgia Southern's best finish at the Palmetto Intercollegiate.
The team posted the lowest team score at the Schenkel Invitational in school history with an 843 en route to a second-place finish for second consecutive season … The Eagles have finished in the top-3 in four of the past five years of their home tourney, a stretch of success not seen since the five-year period from 1976-80 … Jake Storey and Archer Price both finished with a three-round total of 205, the second lowest for an Eagle at the Schenkel. Buddy Alexander posted a 203 (-13) in 1975.
Senior Highlights
Archer Price
Ranks fifth in the Sun Belt in scoring average (72.34) and posted three top-10 and six top-20 finishes this season while shooting 72 or better in 17 of 32 rounds … Finished tied for second at Schenkel Invitational, tied for third at Palmetto Intercollegiate and tied for fourth at Fighting Irish Classic … Played in 42 career events and was in the lineup for the final 27, dating back to the spring of 2016 … Posted four top-5s, five top-10s and 16 top-20s in his career, and his scoring average of 73.10 ranks sixth in school history … Also compiled a 3-1 record in Sun Belt Championship match play.
Jake Storey
Ranks third in the SBC in scoring average (71.59) and posted four top-5 finishes, including two wins, and seven top-20 outings … Named SBC Golfer of the Week March 15, Storey shot 72 or lower in 17 of 32 rounds, including 14 of 20 in the spring … Earned medalist honors at the GS Individual Collegiate and the Palmetto Intercollegiate, tied for second at the Schenkel Invitational and tied for third at the Sun Belt Championship … Played in 38 career events, including each of the past 23 and posted seven top-5s, including three wins, eight top-10s and 16 top-20s, and his scoring average of 72.45 ranks fifth in school history … Also compiled a 3-1 record in Sun Belt Championship match play.
Jonas Vaisanen
Posted a career-best finish fo tied for 23rd at the Schenkel after carding a 1-under 215 for the tourney … Made 18 career starts for the Eagles and recorded a 74.88 scoring average, posting five top-25 finishes.
Other Highlights
Steven Fisk
Named a semifinalist for the Division I Jack Nicklaus National Player of the Year Award, was selected to the Haskins Award Watch List and the Ben Hogan Award Watch List and spent a majority of the season ranked in the top-10 for the U.S. Palmer Cup team … He will head to Kissimmee Regional as an at-large individual selection to the 2018 NCAA Golf Championships with his sights set on a national title.
Fisk is currently ranked 21st by Golfstat, has shot 72 or better in 25 of 30 rounds this season and finished in the top-10 in seven of 10 events, including three top-5s and two wins … He was named Sun Belt Golfer of the Week three times this season and became the 13th player in college golf history to shoot 60, reaching the mark in the second round of the Warrior Princeville Makai Invitational in October.
Players Mentioned
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