University of North Texas Athletics
Green Gang: Could Golf Go 2-For-2
3/15/2011 12:00:00 AM | Return to Play
By Steven Bartolotta, March 15, 2011, 1:35 p.m.
The Sun Belt Conference golf championships are around a month away and while we aren't going to get ahead of ourselves, the Mean Green might, possibly be looking (fingers crossed) at a potential sweep of the titles.
It won't be long until Coach Stracke and Mitchell call me up and yell at me for such a bold prediction, but right now the numbers don't lie. On the men's side, North Texas has 5 of the top-14 golfers in the league in terms of stroke average. Carlos Ortiz is second, Rodolfo Cazaubon is seventh, Josh Jones 10th, Ty Spinella 12th, and Curtis Donahoe 14th. As a team North Texas has the lowest stroke average in the league.
Now for a little reality, even for myself. In golf you can't get too carried away by stroke averages for individuals or teams because a lot of teams are playing on a lot of different courses throughout the year. Some harder than others, some easier than others. The two teams likely to stand in the way of the men this year are Middle Tennessee and South Alabama.
The Blue Raiders have perhaps the hottest golfer in the league right now in Jason Millard. The senior has been sizzling and the Blue Raiders have won two straight tournaments, including the USF Invitational where they blew away the field, NT included.
MTSU has been the class of the league for the last few years and are going to tough again. The Jaguars flew under the radar last year but crept up on everyone and captured the league title. Be wary of a repeat from them. They are third in stroke average right now and pose the same threat as last year. The Mean Green must continue to play like it did in the final two rounds in Tallahassee and they will be sitting pretty.
North Texas is still ranked No. 31 while MTSU is at No. 46 and South Alabama checks in at No. 80. The margin of error though is 0 for the Mean Green.
The women right now are playing some of the best golf in decades, and perhaps school history right now. They have three of the top four golfers in the league right now in terms of stroke average. Despite her recent struggles, Kelsey Kipp has the best averaged in the league. Chandra Alexander is third, Addison Long fourth, and newcomer Jacey Chun 10th. If confidence counted as well, North Texas would be the favorite.
The Mean Green has already won three times this year, and finished in the top-5 in every tournament. The chief competition in Alabama will be FIU and Denver in the SBC. Denver has won this league for about 58 straight years, or so it seems.
While Coach Mitchell won't say it, I will, Denver for the first time in what seems like forever looks vulnerable. When I say vulnerable and Denver women's golf that means they are back within striking distance for the rest of the field. They have been that good for that long.
It is a tightly bunched group in the women's rankings. FIU is No. 43, Denver No. 46, and North Texas No. 53. It will be fun and should be anyone's championship on the women's side.
North Texas has never won the men's and women's championship in the same year, simple explanation for that, the women have never won a championship. The men have 27 conference titles. But this might be year for both to return home with a trophy.
