Pete is always proud to tell you about the continuation of a tradition relating to Aggie athletics. The men’s golf team got off to a great start earlier this week for a season that head coach Scott Lieberwirth thinks will be a good ‘un.

The 2008 Ron Moore Intercollegiate had 17 teams, including Colorado, Wyoming, UTEP, Denver, Air Force, Boise State and Utah State from WAC. The Aggies come into the season ranked No. 69 in the nation and look to continue where they left off last season, as they won their second WAC Championship and qualified for the NCAA East Regional tournament.

With a veteran group of linksters back, Lieberwirth is amped up hope his team can go far this season. The Aggies return four players from last year’s championship team, including seniors Travis Reid and Kevin Lozares, junior Josh Stewart and sophomore Tim Madigan. Reid led the Aggies in 2007-08 with a scoring average of 72.92, finishing seven tournaments in the top 20 and four tournaments in the top 10. He was named an All-WAC selection finishing sixth overall.

Lozares came on strong towards the end of the season competing in seven tournaments, while earning All-WAC honors at the WAC Championship by finishing third overall. His scoring average on the season was 74.19 strokes a round.  Madigan was steady for the Aggies in 2007-08 leading the team with five top 10 finishes and two top 5 finishes on the year. He earned second team All-WAC honors after finishing tied for 20th at the conference championship. Stewart grabbed three top 10 finishes on the year and two top 5 finishes, including a tie for third at the All-American Golf Classic.

Also returning for the Aggies in 2008-09 will be senior Brent Hook, juniors Ryan Word, Max Machado and Ross Prachar. The Aggies will also throw some new players in the mix this year with freshmen Miko Alejandro and Gaston De La Torre.

The women’s head coach Paul Brilliant has his season underway as well. Two of his Aggies fired par in the last round of the Ptarmigan Ram Fall Classic at Colorado State. Sophomore Suteera Chanachai from Bangkok, Thailand, and freshman Ashley Elias both carded an even par. Sophomore Apinporn Swaschuto also of Bangkok, junior Brittany Collins and freshman Angelina Bortoletto are up and comers.

The Aggies will return to action, Sept. 18-20, when they play in the New Mexico Branch Law Firm/Dick McGuire Invitational in Albuquerque, N.M.  It is getting to be as automatic as a gimme putt to see the men’s and women’s golf teams heading to the top of the WAC standings and gittin’ in the NCAA postseason. It isn’t just great weather, or a course kept in super shape by Bruce Erhard and his staff, it’s a coach and a team growing and learning as one. That is the Aggie golf tradition.