Photo:  2013 PSUAC Champions PSU DuBois

PSUD Golfers:  Rebuilding or Reloading?

The most common question that Penn State DuBois golf coach Pat Lewis was asked this off-season was, "You won the PSUAC Golf Championship in your program's very first season.  How do you top that?"  Coach Lewis would often respond with a simple, "I'm not sure…I guess by trying to win it again."  And winning back-to-back PSUAC Golf Championships will not be an easy task for the team from DuBois.

PSUD has lost six of their top seven golfers from last year's team.  This includes four PSUAC All-Conference golfers John Gaylor, John Kane, Derek Buganza, and Tighe Truman, all of which moved on to Penn State Main Campus to complete their degrees.

Returning veterans this season will be Vinnie Montanari (Redbank Valley) and Katie DeAngelo (DuBois HS).  Montanari qualified to golf in every match last year and had scores count in two of the conference matches.   "Vinnie's role last year was more of a supportive role.  I believe that this year he will step up and play a more pivotal role now that he is the one golfer that we have with college match experience." stated Coach Lewis.  He added, "Katie didn't qualify for any matches last year but she shows great leadership by always having a positive attitude.  I look for her game to continue to improve."

PSUD, with many holes to fill, received commitments from several very promising recruits.  Tyler Woodard (Smethport HS) was a North Penn League Golf All-Star and a multiple time letter winner and he will fill one of the spots. "Tyler is striking the ball extremely well right now and he played a very demanding and competitive golf schedule this past summer which I think will show during the season," stated Coach Lewis.  Filling another open slot will be Mitchell Gilmore (Ridgway HS).  "Mitch comes from a very successful Ridgway golf program and he is one of the guys that made it successful."  A third freshman golfer is Justin Gumpf (Big Spring HS) and Lewis had this to say about him, "Justin shows signs of being a very good golfer.  He just has to become more confident and his game will become more consistent."

Three other golfers, Kristy Hanes (Elk County Catholic), Justin Quiggle (St. Marys HS) and Adam Braun (DuBois Central Catholic) will join the team after already being on campus.  Hanes was a state qualifier in golf in high school and just recently won the Leaning Pines Women's Invitational.  She is also a member of the PSUD Women's Basketball team.  Quiggle, a three-sport athlete at St. Marys, joins the team after transferring from the Univ. of Pitt at Bradford where he played basketball.  Braun is a first year golfer that will improve as the season progresses.  "Kristy and Justin will help us immediately.  They both are gifted athletes and thrive on competition.  Adam, for just starting, shows great promise as a golfer."

The 2013 PSUAC Champions will tee it up for the first time this season on Thursday, September 4th at the Bernie Guss Invitational