Spring Golf Just Around the Corner (February 2, 2005)

BILLINGS, MT – The Montana State University-Billings men’s and women’s golf teams are gearing up for what should be a strong spring season.  Taking advantage of the great weather, the teams have stepped out of their indoor training facility at Mitchell Golf to train on their home course at Briarwood.  The teams will have the opportunity to qualify to compete at the West Region competition and at the PacWest Championships that will be hosted by University of Hawaii-Hilo April 21-23.

The men will kick off their season with an 18-team tournament Feb. 27-Mar. 1 at the Cal-State Bakersfield Invitational.  “This will be a good build up for the PacWest Championships,” said head coach Roger Burckley.  “This type of play is exactly what our team needs.  The West Region is the toughest, as seven of the teams are ranked in the top 25 in the nation.  We will be tested going into the tournament in California and will be a good opportunity to see if we can put it all together as a team.”

Lady Jacket golf will commence their season at the St. Mary’s Invitational March 3-5 held in San Antonio, TX.  The women’s West Region stretches from Oklahoma to Hawaii and all of the tournaments they will take part in are the lead up to the PacWest Championships in April.

Senior Captain Bryan Barthelmess (Sr., Condon, MT) put up a 77.8 average during the fall season.  “Bryan is so close to putting it all together and so many of the players look up to him as their leader,” said Burckley.  “He is always on time and ready to work hard.  It has been a joy to have him on the team.”

Chris McConnell (Jr., Lewistown, MT) is the team’s tall left hander, holding the  lowest average on the team with a 74.5 for the fall season.  Junior Chris Haas (Jr., Bozeman, MT) saw a great amateur summer shooting low numbers.  “Chris is the most consistent on the team for scoring low numbers and is looking to improve on those numbers in the spring season,” Burckley said of Haas.  He had a 76.4 average in the fall. 

Freshman standouts include Zach Abels (Fr., Twin Falls, ID) and Nicholas Larson (Fr., Riverton, WY).  Both players are acting like veterans on the team shooting 75.3 and 76.1 averages respectively.  Larson shot a team low 62 round at the fall Collegiate Golf Cup against Rocky Mountain.

Freshman walk-on, Chris Seder (Fr., Hardin, MT) is a hard worker with a great attitude and the team looks for him to be a future role model.  “Both Jason Kinsey (Fr., Glendive, MT) and Heath Anderson (Fr., Japan) have been on the outside looking in,” said head coach Roger Bruckley of the freshman.  “The good thing is that they are ready when needed.”  Kinsey shot a 79.3 average during the fall.  Anderson scored the team low at the fall Collegiate Cup averaging a 73.3.  The team overall had a 315 shooting average last spring and have improved their numbers to a 301 average.

Senior Nicole Clayton (Sr., Wolf Point, MT) has been a part of Lady Jacket golf since the team was formed.  Nicole is fifth on the team in scoring with a 97.8 average.  “She is a hard worker and is a joy to have on the team,” said Bruckley.  Team captain Amanda Rabenberg (Jr., Livingston, MT) had the second lowest shooting average on the team during the fall with 90.6.  Rabenberg had a good summer shooting low numbers and is hoping to put everything together for the spring season.

Julie Clifford (Jr., Forsyth, MT) led the team in scoring last spring putting up a team low round of 83 at the Grand Canyon Tournament held in Phoenix.  Clifford scored an average 91.3 for the fall season and is looking to improve upon those numbers in the spring.

Freshman teammates Nicole Salsbury (Fr., Malta, MT) and Haley Montalban (Fr., Billings, MT) joined the Lady Jackets this past fall.  Salsbury is a talented player from the highline that saw limited tournament action before attending MSUB.  She is fourth in scoring with a 92.5 shooting average.  Montalban is the leading scorer for the Jackets at 84.5.   Montalban also holds the school record for shooting the lowest round of all time.  She did this at the Rocky Mountain Invitational this past fall with a round of 73.  Karrie Brack (Fr., Livingston, MT) is a transfer and will redshirt this season.

“The girls shot 328 as a team at the Rocky Mountain Invite this past fall,” said Burckley.  “To be competitive in the region we must be consistently shooting in the 320’s.  We have proven that we can do it.  It is just a matter of doing it again and again.”

Both Yellowjacket teams will finish the second half of their duel with Rocky Mountain College in the first annual Collegiate Golf Cup. The fall season saw the Battlin Bears with the lead over both the men and women of MSUB in the first 36 holes of play held at Peter Yegen.  The Bears and Yellowjackets will compete for the trophy by playing the final round of 36 at Briarwood March 14-15 with the first tee at 1:00 p.m.  The cup will be conducted Ryder Cup style and will be a good opportunity for area golf enthusiasts to support your local Yellowjacket team.

Women’s Schedule
March 3-5              St. Mary’s Invitational                   San Antonio, TX
March 14-15           Collegiate Cup RMC                       Billings, MT
March 27-29           Grand Canyon Invitational              Phoenix, AZ
April 10-12              Mesa State Invitational                 Grand Junction, CO
April 21-23              PacWest Championships                Hawaii-Hilo

Men’s Schedule
Feb. 27-Mar. 1       Cal-State Bakersfield Invite              Bakersfield, CA
March 14-15          Collegiate Cup RMC                         Billings, MT
March 20-22          Cal-State Monteray Bay Invite          Seaside, CA
April 10-12             Cal-State Stanislaus                       Turlock, CA
April 21-23             PacWest Championships                   Hawaii-Hilo