Kats set to defend titles at home tournament
10/4/2014 6:27:00 PM | Men's Golf, Women's Golf
HUNTSVILLE, Texas -- Nine men's teams and eight women's squads will gather Monday morning at Raven Nest Golf Course as Sam Houston State plays host to the annual Harold Funston Intercollegiate Golf Classic.
This marks the fifth consecutive year that SHSU has hosted a fall event at Raven Nest. Host Sam Houston has won the event the last four seasons on the men's side. The Bearkat women won it last season after being upset by Saint Edwards in 2012.
“It's exciting because the men and women get to play together and this is really our only opportunity to play in front of the Huntsville crowd,” Bearkat head coach Brandt Kieschnick said. “We feel very confident that we'll play well in front of our home crowd and on our home court.”
Both Bearkat squads are coming off of tournament wins last week. The men took home the Wisconsin Badger Invitational title in Madison, Wisc. and the women won the Oral Roberts Shootout in Tulsa, Okla.
In addition to the Bearkats, the men's participants include Abilene Christian, Nicholls State, Tyler Junior College, Western Texas, St. Thomas, Texas Southern, Texas-Pan American and Incarnate Word.
The tree-lined par-71 course measures 6,943 yards from the men's tees.
Senior Zach Cabra claimed individual medalist honors to lead the SHSU men to the team title last season. Klein Klotz finished tied for seventh as a freshman last season.
The women's participants include Houston Baptist, A&M-Corpus Christi, Tyler Junior College, Western Texas, St. Thomas, Texas-Pan American, Texas Stouthern and the host Bearkats.
The women's layout also has a par-71 and will be 6,067 yards long.
The Bearkats had four players finish in the top-10, as Nicole Budnik (4), Paige Nelson (6), Alisa White (T7) and Brooke Fouts (T7) reclaimed the team title in 2013.
“We go into each week preparing to win, whether it's home or away. I want to make sure our teams don't take it for granted that they're playing at home. The other teams are playing well and I expect us to have to play well to win. Our team is very prepared and they respect their opponents,” said. Kieschnick.
Play begins Monday with an 8 a.m. shotgun start. The 54-hole tournament will feature 36 holes on Monday and the final 18 on Tuesday.
