2002-2003 Golf Outlook

01/01/03

- The William and Mary men’s and women’s golf programs, coming off of a breakthrough 2001-02 season, give the College much reason for optimism going into the 2002-03 season. The Tribe is led by Director of Golf Scott King, who was rewarded for last season’s triumphs by receiving the Colonial Athletic Association Men’s Coach of the Year, the Virginia State Coach of the Year and the Mid-Atlantic Region’s Men’s Coach of the Year awards. Assisted by Associate Head Coach Jerry Morelli and assistant coach Vickie Linkous, the Tribe looks to be well prepared for the season.

Tribe Men’s Golf

The 2001-02 season culminated with a trip to the NCAA East Regionals, where the Tribe finished in 22nd place. Additionally, the team captured third at the CAA Championships and earned team titles at the Charleston Southern Fall Invitational and the El Diablo Intercollegiate. The squad returns six golfers, including three with experience at the NCAA Tournament. Aspirations to finish at the top of the conference and to finish higher in the NCAA seem quite realistic. Led by captains Justin Ragognetti and Ryan Roberts, the team looks to combine accomplished rookie golfers with the talented returnees.

This fall, William and Mary finished in the top-six in two tournaments, including a fourth-place finish at the Navy Fall Invitational. Earning the individual medal after the only round of the rainy ODU Seascape Invitational, Gary Barton led the team to a sixth-place finish, while Tim Pemberton finished ninth in the event. Barton also recorded a top-10 finish in the 17-team Wolverine Invitational, while freshman Trevor Branon began his collegiate career with a 10th-place finish at the Navy Fall Invitational.

Ragognetti, a senior, was one of the top golfers on last year’s squad, achieving the second-best scoring average in both the fall and spring. He tied for ninth in the conference tournament and competed in the NCAA Southeast Regionals. He won the individual title at the El Diablo Intercollegiate, leading the team to its second title of the year, and finished in the top-15 individually twice in the spring. He completed the fall season with a 74.4 stroke average, with his best finish (13th) coming at the Navy Fall Invitational.

Roberts, a graduate student, was part of the Tribe’s top finish at the Old Dominion Seascape Collegiate last year and shot his best round of 73 at the James Madison Invitational. Competing three times this fall, Roberts shot a season-best round of 71 at the River Landing Intercollegiate and ended the season with a 76.0 stroke average. The leadership skills and golfing talent of the senior duo of Ragognetti and Roberts should provide the foundation of a strong 2002-03 squad.

Pemberton, a junior who turned in the lowest scoring average on the team last year, is another key returner. He finished in the top-15 individually in every tournament in which he competed except one. Highlights from his impressive season include a fifth-place finish at the conference championships, a 47th-place finish at the NCAA Southeast Regionals, and a first-place finish at the Charleston Southern Invitational, leading the squad to a team title. Pemberton competed five times this fall, with his top finish of ninth at ODU and a final stroke average of 73.8.

Fellow junior Robert Himel looks to challenge for playing time this season after competing in two tournaments last year. Although he did not compete this fall, Himel continues to show improvement.

Two sophomores return for the Tribe in Barton and Robby McKetta. Barton competed in five tournaments for the Tribe last spring, including the CAA Championship and the NCAA Southeast Regional. Barton finished fifth at CAAs after an impressive third day score at three-under par. Barton competed four times this fall and concluded the season by taking the individual medal at the ODU Seascape Invitational. His score of 68 led all golfers in the only round. Barton also finished 10th in the Wolverine Invitational. His stroke average of 72.4 was the best in the fall.

McKetta will look for more playing time this year after playing twice last season. His impressive 12th-place finish at the William and Mary Intercollegiate indicates that he has the potential to become one of the Tribe’s starting five. This fall, he competed twice, scoring a season-best round of 72 at the Wolverine Invitational.

The Tribe boasts four newcomers in sophomore Tim McGinn and freshmen Branon, Nick Dunkle and Jeff Steckmest. The rookies fared well in the first tournament of the fall, as Branon, Steckmest and Dunkle finished 10th, 19th and 32nd, respectively. Branon competed twice more and concluded the fall season with a stroke average of 76.0. Steckmest competed in the James Madison Invitational, carding a second round score of 74. The Navy Invitational was Dunkle’s only tournament of the fall, while McGinn competed once at the River Landing Intercollegiate, finishing 73rd.


Tribe Women’s Golf

The lady golfers look to emerge on the national scene this season with eight returning golfers. The women turned in a strong 2001-02 season, finishing in the top-three twice in the spring and placing fourth at the Eastern College Athletic Conference Championships in the fall. With the addition of the CAA tournament this spring, the squad aims to finish in the top of the conference at the tournament.

This fall, the women’s squad finished in the top-six in three tournaments. In the second competition of the season, the Tribe finished fifth in the Memphis Intercollegiate, followed by a third-place finish in the Princeton Invitational. W&M concluded the season with a sixth-place showing in the Lady Pirate Invitational. The Tribe had three individual top-10 finishes, as Lindsey Sims and Gwen Brink finished fourth and eighth, respectively in the Princeton Invitational, while Sims also placed fourth in the Lady Pirate Invitational.

The Tribe’s three captains, senior Sims and juniors Ann Schnell and Lindsey Wagner, are expected to lead the squad this year both on and off of the golf course. Sims was a consistent starter for the squad last year, finishing in the top-10 three times, including a fourth-place finish in last year’s Princeton Invitational after shooting 77-79—156. Carding two top-10 individual finishes this fall, Sims has shown even further improvement, ending the fall tournaments with a team-best stroke average of 78.36.
Schnell was the top golfer for the team in the 2001-02 season, finishing the spring with an impressive stroke average of 79.1 and five top-10 individual finishes. Her ninth-place showing in the 23-team ECAC Championship tournament helped lead the women’s squad to a fourth-place team finish, while her third-place effort at the NIU Springlake Invitational helped the women to second-place team finish. Schnell concluded the fall of 2002 with a stroke average of 79.79, and placed in the top-25 in four tournaments.

Wagner finished the spring season with a stroke average among the best on the squad. She earned five top-20 finishes throughout the year, including a 10th-place finish at the NIU Springlake Invitational. She competed three times this fall, with her best finish (20th) in the Princeton Invitational.

Juniors Farr Prickett and Nicole Rheaume look to contribute more this season. Prickett and Rheaume finished 51st and 77th, respectively in the William and Mary Invitational last season. Prickett shot an impressive round of 81 during the first day of the tournament, while Rheaume finished with a two-round total of 187. Prickett competed in the first two tournaments this fall, finishing 42nd in the Memphis Intercollegiate. Rheaume saw action in the Lady Pirate Fall Invitational, finishing 52nd overall.

The sophomore class returns two strong golfers in Allison Bourne-Vanneck and Alex Hill. Bourne-Vanneck came on late in the season last spring, playing in the last three competitions. Her best finish came at the William and Mary Invitational, where she finished 17th after shooting a round of 74. She did not compete this fall.

Hill participated in four tournaments last spring, earning a spot in the top-25 twice. However, Hill played her best golf this fall, competing in all five tournaments and finishing with the second-lowest stroke average, 79.0. Hill, a very consistent golfer, had three top-20 finishes, including a 16th-place showing in the Memphis Intercollegiate.

The Tribe freshmen are expected to complement the ever-improving upperclassmen. Brink saw action in five tournaments this fall, finishing 13th at the Memphis Intercollegiate and eighth at the Princeton Invitational. Sayde Murray competed twice, finishing 30th in the Princeton Invitational after carding a 81-87—168. Deborah Petracca played in the Memphis Intercollegiate, placing 37th. Pantipa Jinphiphadhana did not compete this fall but has shown improvement since her arrival at the College.

Coach King is very optimistic about the upcoming season. The combination of talented and experienced upperclassmen with the accomplished newcomers should prove to be an exciting formula for success.