As the weather warms up and the snow is finally melting, both the men’s and women’s golf teams at Taylor are gearing up for their spring seasons to get under way.
During the fall season, the men’s team finished seven under par at the Players Club Invitational. Four Trojans finished in the top 10 with junior Matthew Albright ending the day tied for first. Albright has finished in the top 10 in three events this season.
Albright was followed by junior Kyle Kasitz and sophomore Tanner Conklin, who tied for third, and junior Will Schuitema who had sole possession of ninth place. Another top finisher on this squad is freshman standout Porter Dick who took home first place at the Grace Invitational.
The Trojans will have to rely on their younger golfers this season. With the departures of Austin Davis, Adam Kasitz and Lance VanErmen,the Trojans have no seniors on the roster.
“We are a team that doesn’t have a senior on the roster, so I think whoever steps in will go through some adversity,” Dick said. “This team likes to embrace the underdog mindset, and we want to be the spoilers of the conference.”
To begin the spring, the Taylor men will be without Kasitz as he is out with a foot injury. Kasitz has finished in the top 10 in three events during the fall season and will be tough to replace. Head coach Lorne Oak is hopeful he can return before season’s end.
“It’s (Kasitz’s return) going to depend on how well Kyle does in terms of recovery,” Oke said. “The other guys are just going to be working hard at what they do and step up when needed.”
The men will open their spring season on Mar. 10 in Lawrence, KS at the two day Baker Invitational on Eagle Bend Golf Course. They will return to Noblesville, IN for the Purgatory Intercollegiate that takes place on Mar. 21 and 22 in. Three more events will take place before the Crossroads League Championships on May 5 and 6 in Indianapolis.
The women were dominant in their fall season as they finished in first place in three of their five events, ending the season ranked No. 16 in the nation. One standout performer has been junior Margarita Garrido. She has taken home sole possession of first place in three of the five events Taylor played in their Fall season.
It hasn’t been all Garrido, as in all three first place finishes for Taylor, there have been at least three Trojans finishing in the top 5. Two of those Trojans have been junior Shayne Lim. and freshman Elanor Schuitema. They have both finished in the top 5 three times.
“Our top 3 players are right there in the top players of the country,” Oke said. “We’re really just looking to solidify our spot as the top team in the conference.”
The women will open their spring season alongside the men as they too will travel to Lawrence, KS to participate in the Baker Invitational. They will also participate in three more events before taking on the best of the Crossroads League at the conference championship invitational.
Both teams will be looking to compete in the NAIA Nationals which are being hosted in Ypsilanti, MI. from May 13 to May 16.
