Oct. 8, 2004
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Upcoming Women's Event
October 11-12: Cleveland State Invitational
Course/Location/Holes: Fowlers Mill Golf Club/Chesterland, Ohio/36
Yards/Par: 6,021/72
Teams: 9 -- Butler, Chicago State, Cleveland State, Dayton, Detroit, IPFW, Oakland, Robert Morris & Youngstown State
Upcoming Men's Event
October 11-12: Morehead State Greg Palmer Eagle Classic
Course/Location/Holes: Eagle Trace Golf Course/Morehead, Ky./54
Yards/Par: 6,902/72
Teams: 11 -- Bellarmine, Butler, Cleveland State, IPFW, IUPUI, Morehead State, Murray State, Samford, Tennessee Tech, Tennessee-Martin & Youngstown State
Chip Ins: Both the men's and women's teams are in action on Monday and Tuesday (Oct. 11-12). The women are hosting a stand-alone event for the first time in the program's brief history. The Vikings will be competing against eight other schools at the CSU Invitational at Fowlers Mill GC. Meanwhile, the men's squad will close out its fall schedule at the Greg Palmer Eagle Classic hosted by Morehead State.
Head Coach Tom Porten: Tom Porten is in his 14th season at the helm of the Viking men's program. He guided the team to its first ever Horizon League Championship in 1998. He was instrumental in founding the women's program in 2001 and was named the league coach of the year just two seasons later. A three-time letterwinner and captain of the golf team, he graduated from CSU in 1990. After serving as an assistant for the Vikings during the 1990-91 season, he assumed the head coaches' role the following year.
Cleveland State Invitational: The women's golf team takes another step in the right direction as it hosts a stand-alone event for the first time in the four-year history of the program. The Vikings will welcome eight other schools to the 6,021-yard, par 72 Fowlers Mill Golf Club in Chesterland, Ohio on Oct. 11-12. Among the competitors are Horizon League schools Butler, Detroit and Youngstown State. At last April's combined event at Red Tail Golf Club, Kristen Obush tied for second as CSU finished third.
Greg Palmer Eagle Classic: The men's squad will head to Morehead, Ky. for the Greg Palmer Eagle Classic, hosted by Morehead State on Oct. 11-12. The Vikings are part of an 11-team field -- including league schools Butler and Youngstown State -- that will test the 6,902-yard, par 72 Eagle Trace Golf Course. The Vikings tied for fourth at last year's rain-shortened event which was held in the spring. Mike Rutgers and Jim Weikamp both shot a 77 in the only round completed to tie for 13th.
Porten's Take: "I'm excited that the women's program is establishing its own identity with their own tournament. I know we'll be competitive, but I want to win. I think it is important for Kristen [Obush] to bounce back from an off performance last week. On the men's side, we're very capable of winning the tournament -- it would be a great way to cap off a pleasantly surprising fall. I think we've got our focus back to where it needs to be in order to compete for the title."
Recapping Last Week: The Vikings were led by a pair of newcomers last week as freshmen Doug Barber and Amanda Gladfelter paced their respective teams. On the men's side, Barber posted three rounds in the 70s to finish in a tie for 16th (224) at the Joe Agee Invitational hosted by William & Mary. Overall, the team finished seventh out of 17 teams competing at the Royal New Kent GC. Sophomores Ben Grandy and Mike Rutgers tied for 25th at 227. Gladfelter carded a 169 in blustery conditions to finish tied for 11th at the Northern Illinois Huskie Classic. Senior Kristen Obush tied for 18th at 174. CSU posted a two-day score of 709 to finish sixth in the 10-team field at the Whisper Creek GC.
How Low Can You Go?: Sophomore Mike Rutgers' career-low 66 in the second round at the John Dallio Memorial Invitational on Sept. 27, not only gave him the overnight tournament lead, it broke the school single-round scoring mark. The old record of 67 was set by Christian Komsa at the Ohio Collegiate Classic on Oct. 23, 2000.
Obush Wears Third Crown: Junior Kristen Obush claimed her third career tournament title at the Butler Fall Invitational on Sept. 20-21. She posted consistent rounds of 78-77-78 to finish at 233 -- three shots clear of the rest of the field. She also claimed medalist honors in the Bucknell Lady Bison Classic and the Malone Fall Invitational as a freshman in 2002-03. Obush also has runner-up finishes at last year's Horizon League Championship and CSU Invitational to her credit.
The Young & The Restless: Tom Porten's recruiting efforts the past two seasons are paying dividends at this early juncture of the season, as four of the top five men's golfers in the line-up are all underclassmen. Sophomores Ben Grandy (73.3) and Mike Rutgers (73.5) top the list, with freshmen Doug Barber (75.9) and Joe Ribelli (77.3) not far behind. Barber was a big reason the Vikings finished third at the Butler Fall Invitational (Sept. 20-21), firing a career-low 72 on his way to finishing in a tie for 15th at 221. The only upperclassman in the lineup -- senior Bill Schaefer -- checks in with a 78.7 scoring average. He saw his first action of the year on Sept. 27-28 at the John Dallio Memorial Invitational, opening with a career-low 72 en route to finishing tied for 33rd.
"Barber" Shop Stays Open For The Winter: Freshman Doug Barber has found a unique way to stay busy and in shape in between golf seasons -- the Willoughby native will walk on the men's basketball team. A first team all-district selection at guard as a senior at Willoughby South HS, he was the News Herald and Plain Dealer Player of the Year for Lake and Geauga County. He will more than likely suit up as a shooting guard for the Vikings.
