Men’s Golf Season Preview: Eagles Ready to Write the Next Chapter

Monday, September 23

Winston-Salem, N.C.

8 a.m.

Georgia Southern University

Old Town Club Collegiate

Brett Barron returns for his senior campaign.

Photo by: Tim Cowie

Men’s Golf Season Preview: Eagles Ready to Write the Next Chapter

9/19/2019 12:09:00 PM | Men's Golf

Schedule Roster Demon Deacon Invite Leaderboard

The Eagles open the campaign at the Demon Deacon Invite Sept. 23-24.

By: Marc Gignac

STATESBORO – After putting together one of the best seasons in school history that culminated in an NCAA Championship finals appearance last spring, the Georgia Southern men's golf team still feels it has much more to prove in 2019-20.

Four starters who played in the Sun Belt Championship, NCAA Regionals and NCAA Finals are back this season along with six lettermen with quality experience. The fifth starter, Steven Fisk, finished his career among the greats in program history, and his departure adds motivation for the returning Eagles. They will try to answer the naysayers who wonder how good Georgia Southern can be without him.

"There is a chip on their shoulder and after working really hard all summer, they have come in and hit the ground running," said Georgia Southern head coach Carter Collins. "Each year is separate from the other and an opportunity to tell your story, and I think this group is eager to tell its story. They are ready to show that this is a program that can continue to build into the future."

Last year, Collins felt he had as deep a team as he had seen during his time with the program and believes this group may be even deeper despite losing Fisk. Collins believes the spirited competition to make the lineup each week accelerates the growth of each individual and as a result, improves the team.

"Even though we didn't add anybody, I feel like we're deeper this year than we were last year," he said. "The guys have progressed tremendously throughout all of last year in trying to get in the lineup and that continued through the summer. I think that built up two or three guys quicker, and I'm excited about the competitive level in this program right now and excited to see where it takes us."

Seniors Brett Barron and Jake Maples along with sophomores Ben Carr and Colin Bowles were in the lineup for the three tournaments that led to the NCAA Finals last year, and three more Eagles – Wilson Andress, Mason Williams and Avery Price - played in eight or more events. Senior Luukas Alakulppi has made 18 career starts, and senior Alexander DeRosa has been playing very well this fall.

"We have a lot of guys who are capable of starting any given week, so competition is going to be pretty thick throughout qualifying," said Collins. "Guys are going to have to play at their best in order to stay in the lineup which is what we want."

The schedule contains many familiar events, such as the Fighting Irish Classic, the Gator Invitational and the Schenkel Invitational, Georgia Southern's home tournament. The Eagles open the season at Demon Deacon Invitational Sept. 23-24, one of a few new tournaments on the slate that feature deeper fields then events GS has played in recent years. Collins hopes the new events will help strengthen the Eagles' profile for a possible at-large bid to the NCAA Championships. It all comes down to playing well each week.

"We were playing well in the fall last year, and that's why we won so if we're playing well in stronger tournaments it will help just as much or more," said Collins. "The key with all of that is to play well, and I think this group needs to be challenged more."

There will be some growing pains without Fisk - and the 55 career rounds he shot in the 60s - in the lineup each week. Whereas his 66 may have offset having to count a 74 in the past, the Eagles will likely need to utilize their depth to post a pair of 70s. However the math works out, Georgia Southern certainly has the depth, talent and ability to get it done.

"The chemistry is incredible, and they have such a great respect for each other," said Collins. "I think this team has an incredible story to tell this year. There may be some difficult chapters, but we'll build from that and by the end of it, I think we'll have an incredible story."