1999 Spring Season Preview
6/21/1999 8:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
COLLEGE PARK, Md.--During the past fall, the Maryland golf team placed in the top five in four of its five tournaments. This spring, more of the same is expected. Head coach Tom Hanna has revived the Maryland golf program in recent years, and is continuing to raise it to the highest collegiate level. After losing only one individual from the fall, Hanna will rely on the experience of six upperclassmen, including three seniors, and the addition of a highly touted freshman this spring to lead the Terps to continued success.
The Terps enter the spring season ranked No. 35 in the Golfweek/Sagarin Rankings after an extremely successful fall and will compete in seven regular season tournaments, including the ACC Championships, before heading to the regional and national championships. In these tournaments, Maryland expects to employ a starting five comprised of three seniors and two juniors, all of whom bring heavy competition experience and the drive to constantly improve their games.
Senior-co captains Pete Coughlin, Mike Deo and Miguel Rivera are likely to see action in every meet along with juniors Keith Unikel and Gary Mankulish. Coughlin, a two-time captain and three-year letterwinner, competed in one tournament last fall, the Duke Golf Classic, and recorded a 15-over par score of 231. Despite limited playing time last fall, Coughlin is the team's vocal leader both on and off the field and provides much of the drive that has put the Terrapins where they are today.
Deo, meanwhile, has been one of the Terps' most improved golfers over the past three years. Last year he qualified for the U.S. Amateur Championships. In the fall, Deo recorded his best outing at the Keswick Club Cavalier Classic, where he scored two rounds of sub-par play to finish with a one-over par 214, tying him for 18th place overall. Deo is one of the focal points of the Terps' game this season and a major threat to all other teams.
Maryland's top two golfers, however, are by far Rivera and Unikel. Both are extremely skilled in all areas of the game and the duo has proven to be extremely dangerous when they are at their peak performance. They are recognized as two of the best up-and-coming golfers in the conference and the nation, and have the ability to win any tournament in which they participate. Rivera, a two-time captain, finished the 1998 fall with a 72.45 average, second only to Unikel. He shot sub-par rounds on four occasions, including twice in the 60's. Rivera finished in the top 10 at the Keswick Club Cavalier Classic, shooting a fall-best four-under par 209, tying for fifth place overall. Expect to see Rivera make a name for himself this spring among the nation's elite college golfers.
Along with Rivera, Keith Unikel is one of Maryland's most talented golfers. Unikel became the youngest winner of the Maryland Open this past summer and made national headlines in doing so. He was also a medalist at the 1998 Maryland Amateur Championship. Last fall, he was the Terps' most consistent golfer, leading the team in stroke average (72.35), sub-par rounds played (eight), rounds played in the 60's (three), and top 10 finishes (two). He was also the Terps' top golfer in four of their five tournaments. Unikel's best outing of the fall came at the G. Gunby Jordan Intercollegiate where he finished second and led the Terps to a second place finish with a five-under par 211. With another year to fine tune his skills, Unikel anticipates making the jump from the collegiate level to the professional circuit with a strong arsenal of weapons and a very good head for the game.
The Terps also expect good things from junior Gary Mankulish, who along with Unikel, is expected to start taking the reigns as a team leader. Mankulish recorded the team's best round last fall with a 65 at the G. Gunby Jordan Intercollegiate where he finished in 17th place with a season best four-over par score of 220. Mankulish is the Terps' longest driver and has the ability to perform extremely well and compete with anyone in the nation.
These five individuals compose the core of the Terrapin lineup. However, there are three solid golfers in reserve if Maryland should ever require their services. They are junior Ben Ricker, sophomore Doug Wade and freshman Brit Musser. All three bring with them numerous accolades and extensive experience both prior to and during their time at Maryland. If these three individuals can come into the rotation at a moment's notice and perform at the expected levels, the Terps should contend in every tournament.
Maryland golf has the potential to be one of the best in the ACC this spring and the Terps are determined to prove that they are not to be taken lightly.
