Daytona Beach, Fl. – Dalton State golf coaches continue to build toward the mid-April Southern States Athletic Conference tournament in Montgomery by playing the best opponents to prepare them for golf championships. This week is no exception.
Both teams compete Monday and Tuesday in the Eagle Invitational at the LPGA facility near here. The NAIA men’s national tournament will be held at the LPGA in May, while the women will compete at Savannah Quarters in Pooler, Ga.
The Dalton State men are picked second in the SSAC behind defending national champions Coastal. The new poll, released Thursday, has Mobile in third followed by Faulkner (4), Belhaven (5), Bethel (6), William Carey (7), Martin Methodist (8), Loyola of New Orleans (9), Blue Mountain (10) and Brewton-Parker (11). Like in basketball, Brewton-Parker will be ineligible for post season play.
The Lady Roadrunners are favored to win the SSAC. Dalton State is ranked No. 1 again in the poll released Thursday followed by William Carey (2), Mobile (3), Coastal Georgia (4) and Loyola (5).
“This is another big week for us,” said Men’s Coach Ben Rickett. “The competition we are playing gets stronger and stronger each week and I like the response from the players. We get to see more national top ten teams this week playing at the national championship venue including the best team in the country. We are getting better each week and we are really liking the direction this team is heading.”
Williams Woods University from Fulton, Mo is ranked at the top of both the men’s and women’s polls. Both Owls teams are competing at Daytona this week. The Dalton State men improved to No. 10 in this week’s Golfweek Bushnell NAIA Coaches Poll released Friday.
Men’s teams competing Monday and Tuesday in the 54-hole, two-day tournament on the Par 72/6,944 yards Hills Course include (in alphabetical order) Ava Maria, Coastal Georgia, Eastern Florida State, Embry-Riddle (the host school), Emmanuel, Johnson and Wales, Marian (Ind.), Murray State, Northwood (FL.), Oklahoma Baptist, SCAD Savannah, South Carolina Beaufort, Southeastern, St. Thomas, Talladega, Tennessee Wesleyan, Thomas, Warner, Webber International and William Woods.
Women’s teams will compete in the 36-hole, two-day tournament on the Par 73/6,076 yards Jones Course. The field includes Ava Maria, Coastal Georgia, Dalton State, Embry Riddle (FL), Murray State, Northwood (FL), Oklahoma Baptist, Oklahoma City, SCAD Savannah, St. Andrews, Texas Wesleyan, Thomas, Warner, Webber International and William Woods.
“We are excited about heading to Daytona for the Eagle Invitational,’ Women’s Golf Coach Jim McGrew said. “This will be an NAIA field that will compare to the national championships with six of the top ten preseason teams competing, including the top four. This will give us a great idea of where we stand what work still needs to be done. We hope to build on the last tournament and continue to improve.”