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By Nate Bell            

              Golf is the newest addition to Carlow athletics in 2016. Along with men’s soccer, both men’s and women’s golf teams are new to the scene. Ryan Shank is the head coach for both teams. Coach Shank held a men’s basketball coaching position for the past three seasons, and is now embracing a different challenge: Make a name for Carlow golf. “I just want the team to keep improving every single day,” said Shank. “I always tell the team that your next shot is your best shot.”

Six women and seven men are participating in the golf program’s first season. The women are led by first year Natalie Abt, and transfer/sophomore Hailey Schleich. The men are led by junior Jacob St. George, and sophomore Nathan Bell.

Both teams are already in the heart of the inaugural season. They’ve played in two invitationals, and have shown glimpses of the improvement Coach Shank is looking for. College golf is split up into two “mini” seasons. Five or six matches are played in the fall and then another five or six in the spring. At the end of each “mini” season, the teams will compete in the River States Conference Preview, and then a final tournament, both played in Kentucky. The golfers hope to be hitting their stride right around that time. “We are all fairly new to this whole college golf thing, but we are hoping to keep improving and playing our best golf when we go into the conference tournament,” said Jacob St. George. A key match-up on the golf schedule is the Celtics hosting Point Park on October 1st at Youghiogheny Country Club.

Golf may be new to Carlow, but there is already a lot of positive energy being put into the program. From the coach, to the experienced players who helped give the team a jumpstart, to the fans: Everyone should be excited for what is to come from Carlow golf. Visit the Carlow website (http://www.carlow.edu) for stats, scores, and team news.