Kent State University
Gopher Invitational
Men’s Golf Opens 2014 Season at Gopher Invitational
9/5/2014 8:21:00 PM | Men's Golf
INDEPENDENCE, Minn. - The 2014-15 Kent State men's golf team will kick off the fall portion of its schedule this Sunday and Monday competing in Minnesota's Gopher Invitational at Windsong Farm. The private golf course, designed by the Fought-Lehman Golf Course Architecture firm, opened in 2003 and measures 7,380 yards and has a par-71 layout.
The Gopher Invitational, hosted by Minnesota, will feature 14 teams, including seven that made NCAA Regional appearances this past spring. Charlotte, Michigan State, St. John's (Minn.), UAB, Minnesota, New Mexico, Cal, Baylor, VCU, Notre Dame, San Francisco, Central Arkansas and Nebraska will join the Golden Flashes in the field.
"We have a great fall schedule that is very challenging," said Herb Page, who is in his 37th season as head coach of the Golden Flashes. "We are just really excited to get going."
Four out of the five Flashes' in the lineup for this weekend will be wearing Blue & Gold for the first time. Kent State will be paired with Baylor and California on day one. Rookie Spencer Dobbs will tee off on hole one at 9am, followed by Sebastian Bendsen (9:09), Ian Holt (9:18) and the No. 1 and 2 ranked juniors in Ohio, Chase Johnson (9:27) and JD Hughes (9:36).
"We are playing four freshmen and Sebastian, who is a junior," added Page. "These guys earned their way here – we had a qualifier. I don't think I have ever played four freshmen, but they are very good. I have a lot of confidence in them and they are certainly excited. I'm sure we will have some growing pains, but at the same time they are very talented."
Page prepared a demanding schedule that will pit the Flashes' against some of the top teams in the country week in and week out. The challenging slate for the 2014 Golden Flashes will help prepare the squad for a run at a seventh consecutive Mid-American Conference Championship and a return to NCAA Championship competition. Last season, Kent State advanced to the NCAA Regionals for the 23rd time and narrowly missed qualifying for its 17th trip to the NCAA Championship.
Kent State lost its top two seniors to graduation in Mid-American Conference Co-Players of the Year, Taylor Pendrith and Corey Conners, as well as senior Kyle Kmiecik. Kmiecik was a second team All-MAC selection last season. Page will look to his upper classmen - Bendsen, Kody Fry, Chase Parker, Josh Whalen and Taylor Zoller - to help lead the newcomers to what he hopes to be another great season.
Page, however, is not troubled about the loss of All-Americans Conners and Pendrith and is extremely optimistic about the future of the Kent State men's golf program. He has dealt with the loss of great players many times before, such as Ben Curtis and Dave Moreland. "It's a new era," he said. "The program will move forward. Our players right now are very talented and we will see what they can do."
