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2000-01 Men's Golf Season Outlook

Two years removed from winning a school best three tournaments, American's 2000-01 golf team looks to carry momentum after another solid campaign that saw the Eagles post top-ten finishes in half of their tournaments.

Mark Vedete (Sr., New Hartford, NY/New Hartford) is the most consistant golfer returning to this year's team. Vedete was either the top or second best finisher for the Eagles in six of the ten tournaments last season. This incudes a pair of top-ten finishes at Duquense and UNC-Wilmington.

Expected to join Vedete in the starting lineup is Wesley Cupp (Jr., Rome, NY/Rome), Raul Ford (Sr., Panama), and two freshmen Matt Michaels (Hamilton, Ontario/Westdale) and Seth Kaplan (Dallas, TX/ Pearce).

Cupp was one of three Eagles to play in every tournament last season. His best finish came at the rain shortened Navy Invitational where his 77 was good enough for a tie for 24th, one of Cupp's three top 40 finishes.

Ford is another experienced golfer reurning to the Eagle lineup. He competed in all of the spring events after missing two of the fall events. Ford saved his best tournament for the CAA tournament where his tie for 33rd gave Ford his second top 40 finish of the season. The other came at Duquense where his 36-hole total of 172 was good enough for a tie for 38th.

Kaplan and Michaels bring outstanding high school records to the Eagles' roster. Michaels lead his high school to the city championship where he posted the lowest scoring average in the competition. Micheals was also a member of the 1998 Ontario Juvenile team and in 1999 won the St. George's Invitational in Toronto.

Kaplan brings a wealth of state and national experience to American. He posted seven top tens in 1999, including a victory at the Jr. PGA at Woodhaven where he fired his lowest competitive round of 71. Kaplan also finished tied for 6th at FCWT Purdue, one of several national tournaments Kaplan competed in last year.

Expected to push for playing time is senior Stephen Giannotti (Northford, CT/Avon Old Farms), sophomore Mark Nihill (Buffalo, NY/ Canisus) and freshman David Stone (Morgantown, WV/Morgantown).