Fayetteville, N.C. – The Piedmont College men’s golf program has been selected to finish 7th in the 2015 USA South Preseason Coaches poll released earlier today by the conference. Methodist University was picked as the preseason favorite across the league taking nine of the 11 available first place votes.
The Monarchs finished in the poll with 99 total points as they enter their 26th season under the leadership of Head Coach Steve Conley who has led the program to a fifth place ranking in the GolfStat Division III national rankings. The defending conference champion LaGrange Panthers slipped to second this season taking the remaining two first place votes and a total of 91 points overall.
The rest of the top five were all within a span of five points as Huntingdon College finished in third in the poll taking 75 points with Ferrum in fourth with 73 points while Greensboro was just behind in fifth with 71 points. The points dropped when it came to sixth place Averett who took home 52 points in the poll.
The Lions finished in seventh with a total of 40 points as they return 2014’s star Jake Forbes and the freshman phenom from the fall Sam Hill. Hill earned USA South Rookie of the Week twice during the fall schedule as he took home the tournament title at the Piedmont Fall Invitational to begin the season and saw a top-five finish at the Tom Kinder Memorial in Harrisonburg, Virginia just one week later.
Taking the final four spots in the poll were Maryville in eighth with 37 points, N.C. Wesleyan in ninth with 35 points, Covenant in 10th with 22 points and William Peace in the final spot at 11th with 10 total points.
The conclusion of the season will be at the 2015 USA South Men’s Golf Tournament played April 17-19 at Benvenue Country Club as a part of the USA South Spring Sports Festival in Rocky Mount, North Carolina.
Piedmont begins its spring schedule on February 28th as they travel to Pine Mountain, Georgia for the Calloway Collegiate Invitational hosted by Berry College. The tournament will run over Saturday, February 28 and Sunday, March 1. The men will be competing in four tournaments this spring.
2015 USA South Men’s Golf Preseason Coaches Poll
Rank Institution (1st Place Votes) Pts.
1. Methodist (9) 99
2. LaGrange (2) 91
3. Huntingdon 75
4. Ferrum 73
5. Greensboro 71
6. Averett 52
7. Piedmont 40
8. Maryville 37
9. N.C. Wesleyan 35
10. Covenant 22
11. William Peace 10
