Friday & Saturday, October 2-3, 2009
Alexandria Golf Club, Alexandria, Minn. [Directions]
Course Website | Scorecard | Course Layout
DAY 1 RESULTS: MEN | WOMEN
FINAL RESULTS: MEN | WOMEN
Photos: Day 1 | Day 2
Tournament Recap
Tournament Preview
ST. PAUL -- Alexandria Golf Club in Alexandria, Minn. awaits seven men’s teams and five women’s teams from Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) schools that will compete for their respective conference championship this Friday and Saturday, Oct. 2-3.
The Martin Luther College men’s team knows the Alexandria Golf Club well after shooting a 317-335-652 there to win the UMAC championship in 2008. In 2009, the Knights have hovered around the 330 mark as a team, shooting a season-best 313 at the Northwestern Invitational at Sep. 23. Junior Isaac Crass, Martin Luther’s No. 1 golfer and 2008 UMAC All-Conference honoree, also had his personal low of the year at Northwestern, shooting a five-over par 76.
Speaking of the Northwestern Invitational, Bethany Lutheran College also shot its best round as a team on Sep. 23, winning the meet with a 303. The Vikings have posted team scores of 310 or less in three if their meets this season, making Bethany Lutheran a threat to contend with Martin Luther for the conference championship. Joe Baer, all-conference winner Mitch Koepp and Tyler Pendleton have all carded 72s in 2009.
Although Crown College has competed as a team at just one event this year, the Storm have some individual players who can compete with the league’s best golfers. Stephen Tisch has posted multiple scores in the mid-70s throughout the season while teammate Gatjeak Gew showcased his game at the Northwestern Invitational as he entered the clubhouse with a 74.
The University of Minnesota-Morris men have averaged a team score of 339 in nine days of competitive play this fall, posting its best scores at home on Pomme de Terre Golf Course with a third-place finish at the Cougar Open (321) and a win over Presentation in a dual meet (326). No. 1 golfer Dustin Katz has greatly improved the Cougars’ strengths as a team while first-year player Derek Dionne owns Morris’ best individual score of the season with a plus-two 72 at the Cougar open.
North Central University has certainly turned some heads in its second year as a conference member as evidenced by its winning score of 304 at the UMAC Regular Season Invitational at North Links Golf Course in Mankato, Minn. on Sep. 10. A 2008 all-conference selection and three-time UMAC Men’s Golfer of the Week in 2009, Dean Goodwin is certainly a favorite to compete for the individual championship. Goodwin has fired off multiple rounds in the mid-70s this season, including an even-par 72 at the UMAC mid-season tournament.
Northwestern College hopes to begin its UMAC Championship in the same way it ended last year’s round at Alexandria Golf Club, as the Eagles shot a Day 2-best 321 to take second place in the 2009 finale. Northwestern is another team that has floated in the 330s this season with all-conference winner Nick Olson in the anchor position. Olson posted a 73 to tie for second at the UMAC regular season meet while grabbing medalist honors at the North Central Invitational on Monday.
Presentation College will hope to improve on its seventh-place showing at the 2008 league championship. The Saints’ low team score of 359 came at the Cougar Open at Pomme de Terre Golf Course. Richie Ward has been his team’s front man this season, while Brett Hoffman owns Presentation’s best individual performance, shooting an 85 at the UMAC Regular Season Invitational.
2009 will be the second year that the UMAC hosts a women’s golf conference championship after Northwestern won the inaugural team event last year. The Eagles shot a two-day team score of 841, besting Minnesota-Morris’ 881. Presentation and Martin Luther also submitted team scores. UMAC All-Conference selection Kristina Siemens headlines Northwestern’s team. Siemens’ best score thus far in 2009 came at the Bethany Lutheran Invitational at Le Sueur Country Club, where the sophomore carded an 86.
Bethany Lutheran has not fielded a complete women’s team at any of its events in 2008, but Kelsey Schlicker and Abbey Lecy have placed in the top five in all but one of their events this season. Both all-conference honorees from a year ago, Schlicker and Lecy have tallied numerous scores in the low 90s. Schlicker shot a 90 at the UMAC Regular Season Invitational on Sep. 10, while Lecy entered the clubhouse with a 90 at the Northwestern Invitational.
Martin Luther’s women have played in two events in 2009 - one as a team and the other as individuals. In their lone team competition, the Knights shot a team score of 433. Mykayla Jensen has competed twice this season, turning in score cards of 91 and 106.
Minnesota-Morris posted its best women’s score of 2009 in a match against Presentation on Monday at Pomme de Terre Golf Course. With a one-over par 37 on the front nine, Caitlin Johnson completed the Cougars’ best individual round of the year with an 84. Minnesota-Morris hopes to post a strong two days of scoring in Alexandria, Minn. to improve on last year’s second place finish and win this year’s 2009 conference championship.
The Presentation’s women’s squad had its best meet of the year at the Bethany Lutheran Invitational on Sep. 11, shooting a team score of 436. Samantha Maag had the Saints’ top individual performance of the year one day earlier, as the junior shot a 99 at the UMAC Regular Season Invitational at North Links Golf Course.
Built in 1956, Alexandria Golf Club is a private golf course that features large trees, tight fairways and a thick rough. The men will be playing a 6,504-yard course this weekend, while the women will play a full 5,800 yards. Tee times for Friday’s action will begin at 11 a.m., while Saturday’s second rounds will begin at 10 a.m.