by Kendra Clark
staff writer
When the snow has fully melted and the ground dries out, Cabrini College’s golf team will start the 2001 season with many new faces.
Two returning players, senior Brian Moose and sophomore Anthony D’Aleo will lead the team. Joining these two will be sophomore Jim Mcrea and two freshmen Zane Hamid and Richard Magda. Possibly two to three other freshmen might be joining later on according to Dr. Tony Verde, head coach.
The team will start its season on March 30 at Holy Family College. The season will end with the PAC championships on the weekend of April 29.
One highlight for the team this year will come in their last match before the PAC championships. On April 26, the team will travel to Long Island N.Y., where they will have the honor to play on the legendary course, Bethpage. It is here that the team will be able to play on the same course that will host the 2002 U.S. Open, where notable golfers such as Tiger Woods will play.
Practice has been sidelined for right now until the courses dry, but over spring break Dr. Verde, golf coach and chair of the sports science department, will be taking Hamid and Magda and some of the other players, to Ocean City, M.D. It will be here where he will see Hamid and Magda play for the first time. The trip will last for three days and they will play four to five rounds. Verde would like to start an annual spring break trip.
When looking ahead to the season and the team’s goals Verde says, “Show up better at finals.” Verde explains that Wesley College always takes the PAC because they are rated in the top 10 in the nation. “We would like to come in second, because Wesley runs away with first.” D’Aleo adds, “We are looking forward to competing and challenging the PAC.”
Another goal that Verde would like seen with this new team is to improve camaraderie and team spirit. This year Verde was able to obtain more money for their budgets, which allowed the team to purchase matching bags and golf balls with the Cabrini logo. “We will look like a team this year and that will give them pride that they are representing their college,” Verde said.
When asked about recruitment for this year, Verde replies that he does not recruit, but that he carries enough golfers to always make a team of five, which they need in order to compete. In talking about his players Verde states, “They like to play, very few have had tournament experience and the whole mindset is different.” Verde then went onto explain that this will also be one of the points of the spring break trip.
“The team practices during the season at two private golf courses, Sunnybrook Golf Course, which is located in Plymoth Meeting and St. Davids, which located right next to Cabrini. Verde is proud to state, ” We have come a long way, and we used to have to go to public course.” They do not host any matches, but hope to start soon.
The golf team is also not strictly male. Women are encouraged to come out and play. Verde states though, “In NCAA women have to play same tee.” This means that while men and women can play together, the NCAA rules state that they must start at the same tee. Currently the men’s tee is placed 20 percent farther away from the green than the women’s. “But women are welcomed,” Verde says, adding, “At Gwynedd -Mercy College, women are the top three players.”
Besides the coach looking forward to the season, the golfers are excited too.
“We are looking forward to a fun season, that is why we are all out there,” D’Aleo said.
