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Williams Men's Golf Looks to Get Back to NCAA Tourney
12:55PM / Tuesday, September 08, 2015
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WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. – Despite collecting three wins last spring, the Ephs' 2014-15 campaign ended when they finished 14 shots behind Middlebury College in the NESCAC NCAA Qualifier.

Consequently, for the second straight year, the Ephs missed out on a trip to the NCAA Championships. 

 

This fall, the Williams men's golf team will look to write its own destiny and book a ticket to NCAAs.

 

"Our main goal is to work hard at getting better every tournament,” Williams coach Josh Hillman said. “I think the team as a whole is very strong and we do have a lot of depth on the roster." 

 

Williams no longer has the steady play of the graduated Jake Goldenring, who consistently provided strong tournament results for the team throughout his illustrious career. In addition, for the upcoming fall season, the Ephs will be without junior star Grant Raffel, who will be spending a semester abroad in Scotland.

 

Showing no signs of panic, though, Hillman is excited for a season that "is wide open." 

 

Headlining the Ephs' fall lineup is junior standout Ross Hoffman. In his first two years on the team, Hoffman has already given the team consistently low scores, including two career victories at the 2013 Williams Fall Invitational and the 2015 RIC Invitational.

 

After Hoffman, the team has a large contingent of seniors with prior tournament experience, including co-captains Frank Worthington and Max Elgart. Worthington was a crucial last-minute addition last spring in Williams' win at Little Three's. Elgart also has a respectable record of tournament appearances, including  multiple Little Three victories and at the 2014 Middlebury Invitational. Senior Greg Stone competed alongside Elgart at Middlebury, and followed up his performance with a solid showing at the 2014 Williams Invitational. 

 

Seniors Michael Stone and Tong Liu have experience dating back to the 2012 Hamilton Invitational. Both players were mainstays in the Ephs' 2014 fall season lineup.

 

The Ephs also are looking for strong showings from junior Jacob Watt-Morse, and sophomores Jack Coyne and Jackson Moss. 

 

To add to the depth of the roster, Hillman has brought in freshmen Jake Foehl of Williamstown, Tyler Tsay, and Will Beischer. Even though the freshmen have not been able to participate in pre-season activities, the team is excited to see them perform because, as Hillman noted, "if their junior golf record is correct I think they will make an immediate impact on the team."

 

Rounding out the team's talented roster are seniors Andy Leary, Michael Yi, and junior Evan Wahl. 

 

“My goal for this team is to have five guys who play consistent golf throughout the year,” Hillman said.

 

The team will get its first test this weekend at its own tournament, the Williams Fall Invitational. The following weekend, the Ephs will head to Middlebury and the Ralph Myhre Golf Course to compete in Middlebury's home fall tournament. Then, after the Hamilton Invitational, Williams will host the NESCAC Fall Qualifier at Taconic Golf Club. 

 

The Ephs will finish the fall season with the ECAC Championships and the Tri Match, a one-day stroke play event against Middlebury and Trinity held at Ekwonak Country Club.

 

To determine who will be in the lineup to start the year, players are participating in a 54-hole qualifier, in which the three low scores will earn automatic spots in the lineup. Hillman will choose the final two players. 

 

"I am looking forward to seeing who steps up this fall," Hillman said. "I think the best thing we have going is that people want to step up.

 

"This fall will be very exciting."

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