By Sherri Wilson – SID intern
February 22, 2001
With all of last year’s players returning, the Bluffton College men’s golf team will enter the 2001 season with the experience and commitment to bring success for the spring.
Along with the returning players, Coach Allen Curtiss will begin his second year with the program. “The nice thing about being a returning coach is that I now have something to gage the returning players on,” said Coach Curtiss. “We expect to be a lot stronger and more competitive this year.”
The returning players include: seniors Scott Coffman (Castalia/Margaretta), Aaron Barrett (Springfield/Shawnee), and Josh Zechman (Northwood), junior Andy Bixler (Orrville), and sophomore Brian Rufenacht (Archbold). Bob Day, a senior, will also be returning to the team after taking last year off, and Bill Fisher, a freshman, will also add to the BC team this year.
Both Bixler and Barrett agree that the Heartland Conference Tournament last year was a major highlight from the season. “We all had tournaments that we played well in, and we’ll use that experience to improve this year,” said Bixler. At the HCAC championship, Bixler finished with the low score of 167, while Barrett also finished strong with a score of 170. Other low scores from the season were at the OSU-Lima match: Bixler 82, Coffman 83 and Barrett 86.
Coach Curtiss wants to emphasize the positive attitude the team built last year and continue to improve the program. Barrett said, “We are a well rounded team and are capable of scoring some low rounds if we play like we are capable of playing.”
The Beavers begin their season on March 25-26 at Hanover.
