February 24, 2011

Clippers Start Spring Ranked Tenth

The NCAA and Golfstat released their first Spring poll on February 22 and the news is great for fans of the Concordia College golf team. The Clippers will start the Spring ranked #10 in the East, a two-spot jump from the #12 slot they held at the end of the Fall season, and feature two students ranked in the Top 40 in the region.
  
Concordia also moved up in the conference rankings and will enter the Spring ranked third in the 14-member CACC.
 
The individual head-to-head rankings also bring exciting news. Three Clippers are ranked among the Top 50 in the East region. Concordia is led by freshman Sam Deitte (St. Charles, MO), who's averaging 78.44 for nine rounds. In the first Spring rankings, Deitte is ranked 29th among the approximate 175 players in the East. Sophomore Jeff Schaller (Kingston, NY), averaging 77.20 through ten rounds, is ranked 31st in the East. Freshman Kyle Grandilli (Ontario, CAN), at 77.40 for ten rounds, is 42nd.

Rounding out the Clipper attack is freshman Lorenz Kolmeder (Bavaria, GER), who's at 80.20 for ten rounds and is ranked 65th in the region, and sophomore Will Deitte (St. Charles, MO), whose scoring average is 89.13 and ranking is 124th.

St. Thomas Aquinas College is the top ranked school in the NCAA's East region poll, followed by Wilmington University, American International College, Post University and LeMoyne College. Rounding out the region's Top Ten are Adelphi University, Dowling College, UMass- Lowell, Bentley University and the Clippers.

In the CACC, the top-ranked schools are Post, Wilmington, Concordia, Goldey-Beacom and Nyack College. Rounding out the Top Ten are Felician College, Holy Family University, Dominican College, Philadelphia University and the University of the Sciences.

Entering the Spring season, the Clippers have a 12-2 record in the CACC head-to-head standings and a 22-15 mark in the East region head-to-head standings. Concordia is one of only four schools in the East to have won multiple tournaments this past Fall.

"This is really exciting news," commented coach Scott Allen. "The NCAA added two new statistical categories, including win percentage versus the top ten in your region, and we've done well in that category, as have Sam and Jeff. We have a realistic chance to make something happen but first we know that there's still a lot of hard work ahead of us. The students earned this ranking. They know what lies ahead and I believe they'll be prepared for what that road entails. I'm happy to bring this news to all of the Concordia community."

Concordia College will return to action on February 27th in the St. John's (NY) Treasure Coast Classic at the Indian Hills Golf Course in Fort Pierce, Florida.