2007-08 University of Evansville Golf UE Names & Numbers GOLF TEAMS THE UNIVERSITY Affairs: TBA Head Coach: Jim Hamilton Name: University of Evansville Director of Marketing & Ticket Office Phone: (812) 426-2166 Location: Evansville, Indiana Services: Rob Mallory Fax: (812) 488-2199 Founded: 1854 Equipment Manager: Daryl Buente Athletics Phone: (812) 488-ACES Enrollment: 2,434 External Affairs Interns: Strength/Conditioning Coach: Nickname: Purple Aces Carla Cranny Brady Holt Mascot: Ace Purple Maria Eftink Head Trainer: Terry Collins Colors: Purple, Orange, White Ryan Sheets Home Courses: Conference: Missouri Valley Oak Meadow Country Club President: Dr. Stephen Jennings SPORTS INFORMATION DEPARTMENT (Head Pro: Rob Koontz) Faculty Rep.: Dr. James MacLeod SID/Golf Contact: Bob Boxell Hamilton Golf Course Athletics Director: John Stanley Office Phone: (812) 488-2285 (Head Pro: Jim Hamilton) Administrative Associate To The Cell Phone: (812) 760-4273 Menʼs Team Letterwinners Athletics Director: Rhonda Holder E-Mail: [email protected] Returning/Lost: 6/5 Senior Woman Admin./Associate SID Fax: (812) 488-2090 Womenʼs Team Letterwinners A.D.: Sarah Solinsky Assistant SID: Tom Benson Returning/Lost: 5/1 Assistant A.D. for External 2007 To become a member of the Ace in the Hole Club, contact Coach Jim Hamilton at (812) 426-2166. Or e-mail Coach Hamilton at [email protected]. Jay Altmeyer Victor Gallagher George & Paula Kopko Dr. Keith & Linda Phillips Mr. and Mrs. Dave Andress Dr. Brent Grafe Tom Kohlmeier & Nancy Mark & Linda Pillar Mr. & Mrs. Dan Bateman Mr. & Mrs. Richard Gonterman Schmitt Dr. Ed Prusz Joseph Bausch Danny Goodsen Dr. Al & Janice Korba Mike & Michelle Reffett William & Sharon Beckner Joe Hahn Bob Kuhlman Steve & Mandeleine Reffett Debbie Bizal Tom Haines Marjorie Labhart Robert Reid Ron Bonger Chris & Lynn Hall Mark Lemond Ed Reising Bill Brackett James Hall Anthony & Sandra Lepore Dr. Chester A. Rycroft III Keith & Dawn Bratton Tom Hamilton Patrick & Kathleen Linsner Jerry Schreiber Jack Brenton Mark Handlon Mike Lutterbach David & Brooke Schroeder Mark Bruce Don & Irma Hardesty Kenneth Maikranz Scott & Becky Seger Mr. & Mrs. Tom Burns Robert Hargrave Robert & Pearl Marshall Shoe Carnival, Inc. 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Springston Christian Larry Horton Forrest & Donna Miller Peter & Sahm Straub Mr. & Mrs. John Cuffe Donald & Georgia Howard Rick Mills Mitch Theriac George & Davena Day Mr. & Mrs. Wayne Jeffers Pete Mogavero Gene & Suzanne Vanstone Jeff Deig Jean Johns Dr. Gary Moore Ron Vibbert Rex & Joan Depriest Brian Jones Lester Moore David Weir Tom Dowd Bradley Johnson Ray & Steffanie Motz James & Karen Will Jr. Roger & Vickie Duncan Robbie Kent Mr. & Mrs. Robert Nunn Phil & Donna Wolter Mr. & Mrs. Jack Dutton, Jr. Tom Kerchief Greg Olinger Jerry Ziemer Dan Felker David & Donna Knapp Stephen Pearson Julie Fessel Paul & Charlotte Kohlman Ward & Nell Peyronnin GoPurpleAces.com 2007-08 University of Evansville Golf Purple Aces’ Outlook Record-Holder Reddington Leads The Men For three years, Kyle Reddington has been moving up the career leaderboard at the University of Evansville. Now heʼs climbed as high as he can go. Kyle moved past older brother Jason Reddington (76.43) and number one Eric Steinback (76.27) last Tim Williams (2) season when he reached the minimum 75 career rounds in order to become eligible for the UE record book. Reddington goes into his senior year with a 74.87 average through 85 rounds, the best since official records were first kept. Several teammates are right behind Reddington, who averaged 74.5 in 30 rounds as a junior. Closest is junior Matt Hunsaker, who took nearly two strokes off his freshman totals by averaging 75.17 last season as a sophomore. Hunsaker improved throughout the year, and was the Acesʼ top golfer at the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Championships with a 16th place finish. Others with collegiate experience include sophomores Ryan Linsner (78.0 average last year in 7 rounds) and Christian Poling (79.6/7), and seniors Nick Prout (78.25/4) and Alex Kopko (81.5/4). The Aces are also counting on freshmen Lucas Zielinski and Matt Kubsch to help make up for the loss of 2007 graduates Chris Bouchard, Kyle Straub, Michael Daum and Juan Calvo. The depth that coach Jim Hamilton has built into his program in the past few years will be called upon this year to keep UE moving upward in the Missouri Valley Conference. “Kyleʼs career speaks for itself, and Matt is also very solid,” according to Coach Hamilton. “We have four others with collegiate experience who have worked to earn a place in our lineup, along with two newcomers, and Iʼm confident they will give us a lineup we can count on in every tournament.” Career Scoring Leader Kyle Reddington Higgins Leads, UE Teammates Follow In 2006, the Purple Acesʼ womenʼs golf team shot 962 in the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Championship, an improvement of 62 strokes from the year before. Their 317 team score in the final round was Evansvilleʼs best ever in the MVC Tournament. But those marks didnʼt hold up for long. The 2007 Aces shot 958, and their team total of 313 in the final round beat the old record by four strokes. Coach Jim Hamilton and his team expect more records to fall in 2007-08, and why shouldnʼt they? With the top five players returning, thereʼs plenty of reason for optimism. “Experience is a great asset, and we have a team full of experienced players,” Hamilton says. “Then, you add the confidence theyʼve gained as their play has improved, and thatʼs why this team is very focused on the upcoming season.” Senior Crissy Higgins has been UEʼs scoring leader each season, and her 80.87 career stroke average puts her on target to break the modern record of 81.96, set by Andrea Werner in 2003. Higgins averaged less than 80 for the first time in her career last season, lopping off a full stroke from the year before to finish at 79.88. Senior Helen Cuffe was next with an 82.0 average, including rounds of 79, 79 and 77 that gave her a team-best 17th place finish at the 59-player MVC Tournament in April. Junior Danielle Wolter was right on Cuffeʼs heels at 82.92, junior Vandi Gooch was next at 83.05, and senior Katie Shoener rounded out the top five with an 84.28 average. The five veterans will be joined by freshman Maggie Wood, who is expected to compete immediately with the veterans. The Aces turned in a seventh place finish at the MVC Championship last April. It was their best ever, but not high enough to satisfy the 2007-08 team. “We came very close to finishing in the top three,” Hamilton points out. “Iʼve seen a change in the attitude of these players over the last couple years. They donʼt expect to finish near the bottom. Theyʼve proven to themselves that they can compete with every team in the league.” Three-Year Team Leader Crissy Higgins Championship Tradition • Academic Excellence • Integrity 2007-08 University of Evansville Golf Coach Jim Hamilton Itʼs not unusual for a coach to come in and improve his with a 64. Bouchard team. Itʼs rare for someone to lift up two teams at the same was UEʼs first U.S. time. Thatʼs exactly what Jim Hamilton has done with the Amateur Tim Williams menʼs and womenʼs golf squads at the University of Championship quali- Evansville. fier, in 2005. Stelz Photo (2) The womenʼs team made a huge jump in Hamiltonʼs first year as head coach. The 2006 Aces shot 962 in the MVC Tournament, cutting 62 strokes off their 2005 score. Evansvilleʼs 312 in the final round of the Springlake Invitational at Sebring, Fla. was the best score by an Evansville team since womenʼs golf was reinstated in 1996. Then in 2007, the women produced their highest Missouri Valley Conference finish in school history. “Iʼm proud of how hard the players on both teams have worked,” Hamilton says. “They have goals, and they know it takes dedication to achieve them. We have built a good foundation that will help us compete for a Missouri Valley Conference championship and an NCAA Tournament bid for both the menʼs and womenʼs teams. You do that by recruiting Hamilton is a certified PGA Professional who has been co- people who really have a desire to succeed academically owner of Hamilton Golf Course in Evansville since 1974. He and athletically.” was chosen in 2006 by the Indiana PGA as one of the state's Coach Hamilton is the son of legendary Bob Hamilton, top 10 golf instructors. Hamilton is in his sixth year as head Ryder Cup team member and champion of the 1944 PGA coach of the Purple Aces' men's team, and in his third year Championship. Jim is an outstanding golfer himself, having as head coach of the women. won the Evansville city tourney twice, the Tri-State Junior The Aces' men rose in the Missouri Valley Conference Championship three times, and the Indiana Junior Championship standings from eighth to seventh to fifth in Championship once. Jim was a founder of the Evansville Hamiltonʼs first three years. One of Hamiltonʼs first recruits, Junior Golf Association, and is one of the regionʼs most Shawn Marshall, shot a 66 that broke the school record for respected golf instructors. He and his wife, Cinda, have a most strokes under par (6) and tied the school record for low- son, Heath, a 2006 graduate of the University of Evansville.