Parity could be byword in ACC golf race 

By STEVE WILLIAMS

North Carolina will find out early on how it stacks up against some of the best Division I golf programs in the country.

The Tar Heels, with the past two ACC individual champs in their line-up, will open against a strong field at the Ridges Intercollegiate Sept. 13-14 in Tennessee and then play in the Ping/Golfweek Preview at The Homestead in Hot Springs, Va., Sept. 22-23.

“I am looking forward to a very competitive fall schedule,” UNC coach John Inman said. “When we host the Franklin Street Partners Invitational in October, we will be in full stride and I am excited to see how we stack up against the top teams in the country.”

Dustin Bray, who won the ACC crown as a sophomore in 2002, and Richard Treis, who took the title last spring as a junior, head the UNC cast that faces the big early test.

The Tar Heels must replace two starters. Sophomore Kevin Silva joins Bray and Treis as returnees.

The Golfweek/Ping Preview gives the top teams in the country a sneak peek at the course that will host the NCAA Championship next June 1-4. Clemson, the defending NCAA Champ, heads the field of 15 that also includes ACC members UNC, Georgia Tech and Wake Forest.

Graduation losses throughout the ACC leaves this year’s race a toss-up. Clemson lost two starters, including four-year-standout D.J. Trahan, but the Tigers have Gregg Jones, Matt Hendrix and Jack Ferguson back.

Wake Forest lost four of five starters but still has its main man, Bill Haas, the Walker Cup team member who advanced to the semifinals of the U.S. Amateur in 2002 and the quarterfinals in 2003. The Deacons finished second in the ACC and tied for fourth in the NCAA last season.

“We won’t be as deep, but when you only count four scores, I feel confident we’ll be able to do that,” said Wake coach Jerry Haas. “So, I’m cautiously optimistic. I think we’ll surprise a lot of people.”

N.C. State, which heads into competition without Jason Moon and Justin Walters, has senior Fernando Mechereffe, junior Rodney Thomas and sophomore Stephen Lewton back with tournament experience. The Wolfpack, which finished 15th in the NCAA last June, will be counting on at least two newcomers.

Coach Richard Sykes has come up with some great JUCO transfers in the past few seasons and this season he’s banking on Jeremy Langdale to be next in that line.

Freshmen Jerry Richardson of Burlington and Jace Strandberg of Greensboro will get a shot to crack the starting five.

Duke, which also made it to the NCAA Tournament last season, has four starters returning. Only Georgia Tech, which finished tied for 11th in the NCAA last season, can match that number among ACC teams that advanced to the big dance.

The Blue Devils lost Leif Olson, but coach Rod Myers welcomes back Ryan Blaum, Make Castleforte, Tom Lefebvre, Nathan Smith, Alex Wilson and Rob Beasley, all starters at one time or another last season.

“This year’s team will have a good mix of older and younger players, and it will be interesting to see how the line-up shakes out,” Myers said.

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Elon narrowly missed an NCAA bid last season as the Phoenix challenged for the Big South title. This year, Elon moves to the Southern Conference where Georgia Southern, College of Charleston and East Tennessee State are the heavyweights.

Coach Bill Morningstar will send five returning starters to the tee: James Hockman, J.D. McNeill, Ryan Loucks, Keith Orlen and Bennett Smith.

UNC-Greensboro placed fifth in the 11-team SoCon event a year ago and Spartan coach Terrance Stewart has most of his horses back. Andy Bare, Gregg Blainey, Jake Lowder and Nick Baker are the leaders.

Davidson, seventh a year ago, also could move up the SoCon ladder with five of its top six back: Tim Dillon, Christian Davis, Dan Koernke, Jon Kropski and Dan Walker.

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Elsewhere in the state, East Carolina, UNC-Wilmington and Campbell have high hopes to make it to the NCAAs.

Coach Kevin Williams’ Pirates lost a couple of key players but has seniors Jason Harris, Calle Andren and Jeff Crowe to build around. Highly-regarded freshman Ryan Leveque is also expected to make an immediate impact.

UNC-W, under new coach Jason Widener, returns four starters including first-team All-Colonial Conference players Derek Brown and Tony DiBetto. The Seahawks also return Brian Joyce and Marc-Andre Roy.

Campbell returns everybody, including two-time Eastern Amateur champ Braxton Wynns.

Charlotte will be trying to move up the rankings led by Russell Killough, who won the Conference-USA title last season as a freshman.

Radford has Martinsville’s Chris Clark back for his senior season.