Pioneers Look to Build on Last Season's Fourth Place Conference Finish

Four of the top six scorers return from last season's Grinnell College men's golf team which placed fourth at the Midwest Conference Championships. Having that experience back is a foundation in which the team will look to build upon as it heads into its 2007 campaign.

Michael Inman '09 carded the highest finish among the four returning golfers, finishing with a three-day total of 240 to finish 11th. Trek Langenhan '07 fired a 254 and tied for 26th, while Ryan Long '07 (255) and R.J. Roewe '09 (259) finished tied for 28th and 32nd, respectively. As a team, the Pioneers recorded a 959 over the course of the Championships - 28 strokes behind team champion, Knox.

This year's team heads into the start of its schedule staying focused with aspirations of contending for a shot at a conference championship at season's end. It will look to take strides within its game under the guidance of first-year Head Coach, Brian Jaworski, who takes over for Greg Wallace. Wallace had guided the team since 1992.

Aside from a new coach, the Pioneers also add four new faces to this year's squad, including a pair of first-years: Pete Kieselback '10 (St. Paul, Minn./Mounds Park Academy) and Carlos Lu '10 (Greenwich, Conn.). Matt Hochstein '09 and Matt Vigil '07 also join the team in 2007. The mixture of youth and experience adds depth and stability to the team over the course of the season.

The schedule heading up to the annual MWC Championships kicks-off with a trip to the Scot-Fire Invitational on April 6 & 7. That event is followed by the Buena Vista Invitational on April 13 & 14 before a trip to Indian Hills C.C. on April 20 & 21. The quest for a conference championship begins on May 3 and will continue thru May 5.