Mesa Legend - SPORTS - MCC golf teams on quest for national tournament

May 2, 2006
SPORTS

MCC golf teams on quest for national tournament

Joe Calcaterra
Mesa Legend

The Mesa Community College men and women’s golf teams are having another strong season in 2006, continuing on their past success.
The men have been locked up in a tight race atop the ACCAC standings with Scottsdale Community College all season long.
The two teams have traded tournament wins, but Scottsdale is currently No. 1 in the conference standings over the second place Thunderbirds.
MCC finished second to Scottsdale at the Pima Invitational, but beat out the Artichokes at the Gateway Invitational at Papago Golf Course. MCC took third at the Glendale Invitational, which was played during Spring Break.
The men’s success can be attributed to many things including the strong play team’s top golfer, Ryan Caughlan.
He is the third ranked golfer in the ACCAC and was the winner of the GateWay Invitational.
The men’s No. 2 is Josh Butler, who was the winner at the Mesa Invitational, which was hosted by MCC at Dobson Ranch Golf Course.
Additionally, Brent Hook, a transfer student, has two top six finishes this season and according to head coach John Guerrero, “Has been steady for all us season as our No. 3 player.”
Sophomore Nick Libsack, who recently won the Tempe City Amateur Championship, also has two top six finishes this season.
Guerrero, along with the rest of the team, feels this year could be the team’s best shot at winning Nationals.
“We’ve got great opportunity to win Nationals this year,” Guerrero said.
He went on to say that MCC is the favorites to win the regional tournament.
The men will look to qualify for the national tournament for the sixth straight year and has a lot of experience as they have three golfers from the 2005 team that that reached the tournament. It will be held May 22-25, in Scottsboro, Ala.
It would have been easy for the women’s team to fold this year having just four players, but they pulled together to have a successful season.
The team has been led by Christina Schams, who was the ACCAC Player of the Year and medalist in six out of the seven events that she played in at the regional tournament.
“She’s had a great season and she going onto the next level,” Guerrero commented.
Schams is being looked at by many major colleges including Texas Christian University, Kansas State and San Diego State.
With just four players there is little room for error on the women’s team.
Others who have stepped up are Meghan Steffey, who had one top six finish and was named second team all-conference and Jamie Burk, who finished No. 11 in the conference.
The team is rounded out by their only freshman, Kendra Gregory.
Gregory was voted as the team’s most improved player for the 2006 season and led Guerrero to comment that, “She’s made some huge, huge strides this season.”
The women have already qualified for Nationals, which take place May 15-18 in Daytona Beach, Fla.