WVU Set for Second Annual Mountaineer Intercollegiate

WVU Set for Second Annual Mountaineer Intercollegiate

BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. (Oct. 9, 2016) – The West Virginia University golf team will welcome 13 teams to Pete Dye Golf Course in Bridgeport, West Virginia, for the second annual Mountaineer Intercollegiate on Monday and Tuesday.

A total of 78 golfers will compete in the 54-hole tournament at the par-72, 7,308-yard course. Players will tee off at 8:30 a.m. Monday in a shotgun start for 36 holes of continuous play. They will play the final 18 holes on Tuesday, with a shotgun start set for 8:30 a.m.

Arkansas, Mississippi State, East Carolina, James Madison, Memphis, Cincinnati, Akron, Arkansas State, Miami (OH), Toledo, Bowling Green, Marshall and Seton Hall will join West Virginia in the tournament. The Bulldogs, Zips, Redhawks, Falcons, Bearcats, Rockets, Pirates and Thunder Herd return for their second year at the event.

“You hope we have a little bit of home course advantage,” said WVU Coach Sean Covich. “We’ve had a few more rounds down there than everyone else. We’re a little more familiar with the course. There’s also some more pressure because everybody’s grandparents, mother, father and girlfriends are going to be out there. So it’s a little more pressure, but that’s what makes it fun. Hopefully we get through the pressure and can play well.”

All 10 Mountaineers will compete in the tournament. Alan Cooke, Etienne Papineau, Chris Williams, Drew Dewald and Max Sear will comprise the scoring squad while Tristan Nicholls, Cole Hand, Avery Schneider, Jon Ransone and Ty Olinger will play as individuals.

Sear, who tied for 10th place at last year’s event, leads the team with a 70.60 stroke average and a pair of top-20 finishes on the season. Cooke boasts a 71.50 scoring average and is closely followed by Papineau at 71.80. A freshman, Papineau recorded his career first top-20 finish as he tied for 18th at the Janney VCU Shooutout in September.

Dewald will see his first competition for WVU after joining the Mountaineers from McLennan Community College, while Olinger will make his collegiate debut this week.

West Virginia is paired with Arkansas and Mississippi State for the first two rounds of play.

Last year’s event was shortened to 36 holes due to frost delays on both days of play. Penn State carded a two-round score of 585 for nine over par to take home the team title, while Cincinnati’s Davis Baxter was the individual medalist, shooting five under with a score of 70-69=139.

Live scoring will be available for all rounds via Golfstat.com.
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