USCB golf teams mixing new, experienced


Published Thursday, August 13, 2009
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As USC Beaufort coach Shane LeBaron examined the lay of the land at his first NAIA Men's Golf National Championships in May, he learned the biggest difference between his team -- which finished seventh in the nation -- and the perennial powerhouse programs was the number of names on the roster.

So he did something about it.

LeBaron expects to have five new names on the men's roster and three new players on the women's squad when the Sand Sharks open their season next month, and with virtually everyone back from last year, the second-year USCB coach expects even bigger things this year.

"Making our top five is going to be tough this year," LeBaron said. "We've got a lot of great players and a lot of competition within the team.

"If you can beat the guys on our team and get to a tournament, it ought to be no big deal when you get there."

The men's team loses only Ryan Ruggiere, who LeBaron said is transferring to attend graduate school, and returns all five players who competed at nationals -- Jon Pannone, Reed Howard, George Thacker, Chris Lane II and Jack Bingham.

Those five will have constant pressure to hold onto their top spots not only from the returning players on the roster, but also from a new batch of recruits.

The biggest name among the newcomers is Luke McClellan, a transfer from Limestone College, where he was a second-team all-conference selection and the Conference Carolinas Freshman of the Year last season. A former Airport High School standout, McClellan finished in the top 20 in six of seven tournaments last season, including three top-five finishes.

The Sand Sharks added another transfer in former Hilton Head Island High School golfer Daniel Monroe, who played a Erskine College a year ago.

The also added Irmo's Travis Cashion, Wade Hampton's Dylan Mixon and Josh Brand, an English native who trains locally at the Junior Players Golf Academy.

On the women's side, a promising season took a step back last year when Cande Villar-Urquiza did not return for the spring semester, but the Sand Sharks still finished at No. 17 in the final NAIA rankings.

With everyone returning and three new recruits joining the mix, LeBaron says the USCB woman "are going to be very good."

The new faces include a familiar one, as former Hilton Head High star Kaitlin O'Sullivan transfers from Newberry College. O'Sullivan played for LeBaron when he coached the Seahawks, and he has worked with her ever since.

The other recruits are JPGA student Phyllis Langley and Arizona high school standout Kelli Nakano, who has some big tournaments under her belt, including the U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links.

The growing rosters mean LeBaron and assistant coach Chris Cuneo will have their hands full, but LeBaron hopes adding some depth will help the Sand Sharks build on last year's success.

"It's going to be a heck of a year," LeBaron said. "It's going to be challenging from a coaching perspective because of the amount of players on the team, but I think it's necessary."

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