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2010 UNA SPRING GOLF PREVIEW

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For the first time in the long history of the University of North Alabama golf program, the Lions will enter their 2010 Spring campaign as the defending Gulf South Conference champions.

UNA has competed in the NCAA South Regional 11 times in the last 14 years and has advanced to the Division II National Championships in 1996, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009. The Lions have averaged better than 60 wins per Spring season for each of the last ten years and have taken a position of national prominence in Division II. But until last spring, the Lions had never claimed a GSC golf championship.

Now, entering the 2010 campaign, UNA finds itself as the defending conference and regional champion, and with a veteran team returning.

Another significant change is that for the first time since 1988, the Lions will not be under the direction of Billy Gamble as head coach. Gamble led UNA to nine Division II National Tournaments from 1989-2009 but retired in the fall. Former UNA All-American Stuart Clark has stepped in and led the Lions to an impressive showing in the fall.
The Lions have six returnees from last year’s squad, led by senior All-American Brett Munson of Louisville, Ky., and sophomore Jake Greer of Birmingham, Ala., who won the Phil Mickelson Award as the top freshman golfer in the NCAA Division II.

UNA was 99-28-1 last spring and won four tournaments, including the GSC and South/Southeast Super Regional crowns. The Lions then roared through the fall with a 60-6 record that included two more tournament crowns. Munson won three medalist honors in the five events.

Also back are senior Wes Coleman of Athens, Ala., senior Alex Hirai of Sao Paulo, Brazil, sophomore J.P. Taylor of Prattville, Ala., and sophomore Graham Byrom of Huntsville, Ala. Nick Sparks of Belmont,

Miss., was redshirted at UNA last season and is back as well. Sophomore Ty Chandler will be redshirted this spring.

The six newcomers to the Lion squad are senior Jace Windom of Gainesville, Ga., junior Andrew Freeman of Jasper, Ala., sophomore Tyer Ekenberg of Apple Valley, Minn., and freshmen Ricky Stimets of Worcester, Mass., Spencer Pace of Florence, Ala., Nico Irrgang of Bavaria, Germany.

North Alabama opens its 2010 Spring schedule at the Grover Page Classic hosted by the University of Tennessee-Martin, on February 28.

The Lions will then play at the Southeastern Collegiate on March 14-16 and the Bobcat Invitational on March 21-23 before hosting the UNA Spring Classic at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail of the Shoals on March 29-30. The Lions will play at The Nature Classic in Heber Springs, Ark., before putting their Gulf South Conference crown on the line on April 18-20 in Hot Springs, Ark.