ANDERSON, S.C. – On the heels of successful fall seasons, the Anderson University men's and women's golf teams climbed several spots in the most recent Golfstat national rankings, as recently released.
After posting a pair of fourth-place finishes and not placing lower than seventh in four tourneys, the men's team lept from 140th last summer to a No. 56 ranking by Golfstat.
In the highly-competitive South Atlantic Conference, the Trojans are ranked ahead of Catawba (77th), Wingate (97th) and Mars Hill (126th), while trailing Newberry (6th), Lincoln Memorial (17th), Queens (21st), Lenoir-Rhyne (27th), Coker (31st), Carson-Newman (33rd), Tusculum (46th) and Brevard (53rd).
Graduate student Weston Bell led the Trojans with a 74.00 stroke average over the four tournaments and closed the fall season on a high note by winning the State Farm Intercollegiate. The Piedmont, S.C., native claimed the individual medalist honors a week after finishing tied for ninth at the Myrtle Beach Intercollegiate.
Junior Forrest Fowler posted a top-four finish at the Queens Collegiate Invitational in mid-September, while posting a 75.43 stroke average during the fall. Sophomore Grayson Bell notched a 75.56 stroke average and finished in a tie for third at the AU Invitational. Sophomore David Monroe's highest finish was a share of seventh at the AU Invitational, with the Greenville, S.C., native recording a 76.00 stroke average.
The women's jump was not as dramatic, but was substantial as the Trojans vaulted from 76th over the summer into the 51st slot nationally. AU is in the middle of the 10 conference squads that were ranked, at fifth, while leading Carson-Newman (55th), Queens (56th), Newberry (65th), Coker 72nd) and Catawba (110th). AU trails just Wingate (34th), Lenoir-Rhyne (35th), Tusculum (36th) and Lincoln Memorial (46th).
With one tourney left on their fall slate, the Trojan women have posted a third-place, a fifth-place and a sixth-place finish this fall, with sophomore Tiffany Elam posting a fifth-place finish at the AU Invitational and tying for sixth place at the Patsy Rendleman Invitational, while pacing the Trojans with a 77.83 stroke average.
Newcomer Kate Hill has averaged a 78.17 through three tournaments, while notching a pair of top-9 finishes. Sophomore Makalyn Poole also posted a pair of top-10 finishes and posted a 78.67 stroke average.
The women's squad wraps up its fall slate by competing in the Illinois Springfield Island Getaway on Monday and Tuesday.
