Ball State University Athletics
Veteran Group Leads Men's Golf Into 2006-07
August 24, 2006 | Men's Golf
Four years ago, Ball State head coach Mike Fleck assembled a highly-touted recruiting class -- a four-member class of accomplished high school and junior golfers ready to return Ball State to the top of the Mid-American Conference.
As the 2006-07 season begins in September, that recruiting class has its eye set on the ultimate goal -- a MAC Championship and return to the NCAA Championship.
"Our goal this year has not changed from past years and that is to compete for a MAC Championship in May," Fleck says. "One of the unique things this year is we have five seniors coming back. Four of those -- Wayne Denger, C.D. Hockersmith, Andy Skillman and Austin Steele -- were recruited together in the same class.
"When we recruited those guys, we talked about recruiting a class that was capable of coming in and winning a MAC Championship. I think we definitely have that in those four guys, and then with the addition of Kyle Cox, it only adds to what those guys collectively are capable of doing."
The group, along with graduating seniors from a year ago Brandon Boomsma and Patrick Wilkes-Krier, chalked up one of the most successful BSU golf campaigns in recent memory in 2005-06.
Behind the record-setting and career-low performances of Wayne Denger and Andy Skillman last October, the Cardinals rallied to win the Earl Yestingsmeier Invitational. The former Ball State coach for whom the event is named described the performance like none he has ever witnessed in college golf.
Skillman fired a 64 in the final round and held the BSU record for low-18 hole score just minutes before Denger followed with a 63 in the final 18 as BSU rallied to win the tournament title.
The success continued into the spring season as BSU was in contention on Sunday in at least six tournaments.
After a runner-up finish at the Marshall Invitational in April, the Cardinals put together an impressive display at the First Energy Intercollegiate at the famed Firestone Golf Club.
Wilkes-Krier set a First Energy Intercollegiate record with a 15-under total of 201 to win medalist honors, while the Cardinals fired a final-round 285 to win the team title.
Wilkes-Krier's rounds of 69-67-65=201 was also a Ball State school record for low 54 holes, surpassing the 206 mark set by Jamie Broce at the Cobra Collegiate in 1999.
With a 284 team score in round one and 285 in rounds two and three, the Cardinals were the only team to finish under par at the event. The three-round score of 854 missed the all-time tournament record by just six strokes.
Ball State placed first at the 14-team tournament, featuring seven teams from the league.
"Anytime you play well it adds confidence to what you are doing. I think what our team realized last spring was we could put ourselves in contention and we could do it every weekend if we played at the level we were capable of.
"The only thing I can ask as a coach is that come the final round, let's have ourselves in a position to play for the win. Fortunately we were able to do that several times last year. I know our team gained a lot of confidence from those events."
Hockersmith, who has been in the Cardinals' top five in all but one tournament in his collegiate career, posted six top 20 finishes a year ago. He continued his stellar play at the league championship, placing fifth overall. His 74.28 spring average was third only behind Boomsma and Wilkes-Krier.
"C.D. brings a lot of experience," Fleck says. "He has a lot of competitive experience in national-level tournaments. The other thing we have to lean on C.D. for is his leadership. He's been associated with winning programs all his life, so this year it is very important for guys to follow his lead. C.D. is going to be very valuable to us in more areas than one."
Denger competed in 33 competitive rounds last season, while Steele and Skillman seemed interchangeable at times in the BSU lineup.
"When you look at Wayne and C.D., you're talking about two players who have had experience since they arrived four years ago," Fleck says. "Both of those guys were in the lineup as freshmen. They've experienced success in their careers, and it's helped them mature into the players they are as seniors.
"This year, we need to have more of a collective and consistent effort from the five guys in the lineup. With Austin and Andy, I think you get that consistency. Andy has played well in the past few years, while Austin really got things going late last year.
"I would consider Austin the difference at our MAC Championship and a few of those tournaments coming down the stretch last spring. He added an enthusiastic and positive feel to what we were doing. Those two guys will be critical to us going out and getting the job done."
Ironically, the Cardinals 2006-07 lineup features a pair of newcomers with as many -- and potentially more -- junior golf accolades than those Fleck added four years ago.
Ross Cosat entered his final high school season as the No. 1 ranked senior in the state of Indiana, while Travis Smith was an American Junior Golf Association Rolex All-America honoree. The duo gained much success throughout their junior careers both on the local and national levels.
"I am real excited about these two," Fleck says. "Every year now it seems with junior golf and pre-college golf, the kids are getting more experience and playing in more national-level events.
"Travis and Ross are two of the more accomplished golfers in the state of Indiana. The nice thing about it is they are not afraid to go out and compete. I wouldn't be surprised if those two guys find themselves in the lineup more times than not as we progress through the fall and into the spring."
The fall season Fleck refers to officially begins with the NCAA Central Regional Preview Sept. 9-10 at Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove, Ill.
"One of the nice things about our schedule this year is that we were able to get into and invited to some tournaments based on our success last year," Fleck says. "Being invited to the NCAA Central Regional Preview is a big step for our program. We'll see top teams from the Midwest and from around the country, so that will be a premier event on our schedule."
The Cardinals will look to defend their Earl Yestingsmeier title when the event returns to Delaware Country Club Oct. 9-10, before trips to North Carolina and New Mexico round out the fall slate.
The 2007 spring season is highlighted by a return trip to the historic Pinehurst Golf Club, defense of the First Energy Intercollegiate title at Firestone and the MAC Championship at The Medallion Club in Westerville, Ohio in May.
"We travel to some competitive tournaments in the fall and our spring schedule, while many events are similar, will provide a solid test as we prepare for the MAC Championship in May."
For a group of five senior golfers, the ultimate prize is within reach.
As the 2006-07 season begins in September, that recruiting class has its eye set on the ultimate goal -- a MAC Championship and return to the NCAA Championship.
"Our goal this year has not changed from past years and that is to compete for a MAC Championship in May," Fleck says. "One of the unique things this year is we have five seniors coming back. Four of those -- Wayne Denger, C.D. Hockersmith, Andy Skillman and Austin Steele -- were recruited together in the same class.
"When we recruited those guys, we talked about recruiting a class that was capable of coming in and winning a MAC Championship. I think we definitely have that in those four guys, and then with the addition of Kyle Cox, it only adds to what those guys collectively are capable of doing."
The group, along with graduating seniors from a year ago Brandon Boomsma and Patrick Wilkes-Krier, chalked up one of the most successful BSU golf campaigns in recent memory in 2005-06.
Behind the record-setting and career-low performances of Wayne Denger and Andy Skillman last October, the Cardinals rallied to win the Earl Yestingsmeier Invitational. The former Ball State coach for whom the event is named described the performance like none he has ever witnessed in college golf.
Skillman fired a 64 in the final round and held the BSU record for low-18 hole score just minutes before Denger followed with a 63 in the final 18 as BSU rallied to win the tournament title.
The success continued into the spring season as BSU was in contention on Sunday in at least six tournaments.
After a runner-up finish at the Marshall Invitational in April, the Cardinals put together an impressive display at the First Energy Intercollegiate at the famed Firestone Golf Club.
Wilkes-Krier set a First Energy Intercollegiate record with a 15-under total of 201 to win medalist honors, while the Cardinals fired a final-round 285 to win the team title.
Wilkes-Krier's rounds of 69-67-65=201 was also a Ball State school record for low 54 holes, surpassing the 206 mark set by Jamie Broce at the Cobra Collegiate in 1999.
With a 284 team score in round one and 285 in rounds two and three, the Cardinals were the only team to finish under par at the event. The three-round score of 854 missed the all-time tournament record by just six strokes.
Ball State placed first at the 14-team tournament, featuring seven teams from the league.
"Anytime you play well it adds confidence to what you are doing. I think what our team realized last spring was we could put ourselves in contention and we could do it every weekend if we played at the level we were capable of.
"The only thing I can ask as a coach is that come the final round, let's have ourselves in a position to play for the win. Fortunately we were able to do that several times last year. I know our team gained a lot of confidence from those events."
Hockersmith, who has been in the Cardinals' top five in all but one tournament in his collegiate career, posted six top 20 finishes a year ago. He continued his stellar play at the league championship, placing fifth overall. His 74.28 spring average was third only behind Boomsma and Wilkes-Krier.
"C.D. brings a lot of experience," Fleck says. "He has a lot of competitive experience in national-level tournaments. The other thing we have to lean on C.D. for is his leadership. He's been associated with winning programs all his life, so this year it is very important for guys to follow his lead. C.D. is going to be very valuable to us in more areas than one."
Denger competed in 33 competitive rounds last season, while Steele and Skillman seemed interchangeable at times in the BSU lineup.
"When you look at Wayne and C.D., you're talking about two players who have had experience since they arrived four years ago," Fleck says. "Both of those guys were in the lineup as freshmen. They've experienced success in their careers, and it's helped them mature into the players they are as seniors.
"This year, we need to have more of a collective and consistent effort from the five guys in the lineup. With Austin and Andy, I think you get that consistency. Andy has played well in the past few years, while Austin really got things going late last year.
"I would consider Austin the difference at our MAC Championship and a few of those tournaments coming down the stretch last spring. He added an enthusiastic and positive feel to what we were doing. Those two guys will be critical to us going out and getting the job done."
Ironically, the Cardinals 2006-07 lineup features a pair of newcomers with as many -- and potentially more -- junior golf accolades than those Fleck added four years ago.
Ross Cosat entered his final high school season as the No. 1 ranked senior in the state of Indiana, while Travis Smith was an American Junior Golf Association Rolex All-America honoree. The duo gained much success throughout their junior careers both on the local and national levels.
"I am real excited about these two," Fleck says. "Every year now it seems with junior golf and pre-college golf, the kids are getting more experience and playing in more national-level events.
"Travis and Ross are two of the more accomplished golfers in the state of Indiana. The nice thing about it is they are not afraid to go out and compete. I wouldn't be surprised if those two guys find themselves in the lineup more times than not as we progress through the fall and into the spring."
The fall season Fleck refers to officially begins with the NCAA Central Regional Preview Sept. 9-10 at Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove, Ill.
"One of the nice things about our schedule this year is that we were able to get into and invited to some tournaments based on our success last year," Fleck says. "Being invited to the NCAA Central Regional Preview is a big step for our program. We'll see top teams from the Midwest and from around the country, so that will be a premier event on our schedule."
The Cardinals will look to defend their Earl Yestingsmeier title when the event returns to Delaware Country Club Oct. 9-10, before trips to North Carolina and New Mexico round out the fall slate.
The 2007 spring season is highlighted by a return trip to the historic Pinehurst Golf Club, defense of the First Energy Intercollegiate title at Firestone and the MAC Championship at The Medallion Club in Westerville, Ohio in May.
"We travel to some competitive tournaments in the fall and our spring schedule, while many events are similar, will provide a solid test as we prepare for the MAC Championship in May."
For a group of five senior golfers, the ultimate prize is within reach.
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
Sports Link // Cardinal Conversations with Carter Smith & Jeff Mitchell
Tuesday, March 17
Heart of the Cardinal Podcast // Guests: Mike Fleck and Alauna Simms
Monday, December 15
Heart of the Cardinal Podcast // Mike Fleck on Program Approach
Saturday, December 13
Sports Link: International Student Athlete Day
Monday, November 17