Playing in the nation's most competitive region for NCAA Division III golf, the Emory Eagles had the opportunity to consistently challenge some of the top squads and individuals in the country. The weekly battles ultimately paid off in the form of match-ready performances when the stakes were highest. The team's magnificent run of success culminated in a ninth place team finish at the NCAA Division III National Championships. This year's appearance at nationals marked the 11th trip to the tournament for Emory, which has tuned itself into one of the nation's best and most consistent golf teams under longtime head coach Mike Phillips.
Emory continued to make its mark and turn heads throughout the national golf scene. In April, the squad's sixth place finish out of 15 teams at the Navy Invitational astonished the other teams in the field, which were all NCAA Division I schools. In addition Golf Digest named Emory the best collegiate golf program in the country - all NCAA schools included - for academics. The magazine's rankings were calculated with academics counting for 70 percent, golf performance 20 percent and coach/facilities and climate factoring five percent each.
Among its Division III rivals, Emory proved a formidable foe throughout the season. Buoyed by their success at Annapolis, the Eagles charged to a runner-up finish at the University Athletic Association (UAA) Championships the following week.
Leading the attack for the Eagles all season was senior captain Mike Lebow. His play all season elevated the entire squad, and at nationals, Lebow raised his own game as well. After the first two of the four-rounds, Lebow stood in 59th place, but he then clawed his way back to 21st place after three rounds, and a magnificent finish propelled him to fifth place overall (78-78-71-72--298). He was named to the All-America First Team by the Golf Coaches Association of America, the first Emory golfer to be a three-time All-America. Among NCAA Division III players, Lebow was 14th in the nation with 63 birdies and 28th in scoring average at 75.32 strokes per round. His four top-10 performances during the season included a second place finish (70-74--144) at the Gordin Classic and sixth place (75-74--149) finish at the UAA Championships.
The team also received a boost from the promising play of some of its youngest members. Sophomore Drew Harker posted three top-10 finishes during the season, including fifth place overall (73-75--148) at the UAA Championships and sixth place (76-71--147) at the prestigious NCAA Preview. He was the top Division III golfer (eighth overall) at the Navy Classic. Freshman Jeremy Evans made a splash in his first year of collegiate golf, finishing 39th in the nation in pars per round. He posted three top-10's, including 10th place (75-77--152) at the UAA Championships and winning conference Rookie of the Year honors.
Among veteran players, junior Rodrigo Olivero put in another workmanlike season, He saved his best performance for the UAA Championships, where he shot a 77-73--150 to finish seventh. He also recorded a 72-80--152 at the NCAA Preview for a 14th place finish. Senior Tristan Sanders had two top-10's of his own, including eighth place (78-73-151) at the UAA Championships and ninth place (73-76-149) at the Emory Spring Invitational.
As a team, Emory finished third in the nation among in par-5 scoring and 12th in scoring average (76.76).
Golf Coaches Association of America
All-America
Mike
Lebow
First
Team
Royersford, Pa. (Spring-Ford)
University Athletic Association Rookie of the
Year
Jeremy
Evans
one
selection
Palm Harbor, Fla. (The Cambridge School)
All-University Athletic Association
Drew
Harker
First
Team
Barrington, R.I. (Barrington)
Mike
Lebow
Second Team
Royersford, Pa. (Spring-Ford)
Rodrigo
Olivero
Second Team
Guatemala City, Guatemela
Tristan
Sanders
Second Team
Albuquerque, N.M. (Valley)
Jeremy Evans
Second Team Palm
Harbor, Fla. (The Cambridge School)
CoSIDA Academic All-District
Mike
Lebow
Second Team
Royersford, Pa. (Spring-Ford)