2012 Golf Season Preview

SWARTHMORE, Pa. – The Swarthmore College golf team's 2011 spring season was highlighted by great success and great disappointment.  The squad broke the program scoring record by two strokes (303) in late March and beat all Centennial Conference teams at the McDaniel Spring Invitational. Yet despite that success, the team fell short of its ultimate goal of winning the Centennial Conference Championship, finishing a disappointing fifth-place at the year-end title match.

Despite this setback, the team -- under the direction of seventh year head coach Jim Heller -- is ready to make a move in the Centennial Conference. Swarthmore is on track for a successful spring thanks to one of the best fall campaigns in program history.  In its fall season opener, the team claimed its own tournament title with a score of 305 while sophomore Jeff Wall '14 broke the school individual scoring record with a score of 69.  Furthermore, the team shattered the school's team scoring record again with a score of 294 at the Immaculata Invitational.   Due to the spectacular play in the fall, the Garnet rose to No. 15 in the Mid-Atlantic and was invited to the National Collegiate Invitational at Hershey Country Club.

Under the leadership of co-captains senior Paul Weston '12 and senior Alex Nichamin '12, the team is loaded with talent, as all starters from last season have returned for 2012. Weston is a two-time All-Conference Team member and Nichamin was a member of the 2009 All-Conference Team.  In addition, senior Alex Leichter '12 will be back for his final year with the Garnet.  Also, returning to the team from his semester abroad in Prague, Jake Carter '13 looks to contribute significantly to the team. 

Not to be overshadowed by the upperclassmen, the underclassmen form the depth to the team.  Sophomores Price Ferchill '14, Kyle Knapp '14, Jeff Wall '14, and Sam White '14 are all capable of shooting in the 70s and being a top finisher on any given day.  As to the newest members of the team, Freshmen Andrew Park '15, Miles Schuck '15, and Sam Tomlinson '15 look to contribute to the team as well.  Park has already done so by leading the team this fall with a 75.0 scoring average.   

Along with the addition of Park and the other first-years, freshman Amanda Beebe '15 is looking to represent Swarthmore golf in various women's invitational events throughout the season, having already played in a few fall events.

Swarthmore opens the 2012 Spring season on Wednesday at the Dickinson Spring Invitational.