Volume CXXXIII, Number 2
September 14, 2001
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Practice swings with the coeds of Bowdoin golf
HOMA MOJTABAI
Staff Writer

The 2001 season looks to be a promising one for the Bowdoin Men's Golf Team. Boasting a roster of fifteen players, the squad is looking to finish in the top half of NESCAC, according to coach Terry Meagher.

This year's captains are seniors Brian Shuman and Andy McNearny. Rounding out the pool of seniors are Pascal Chiasson, Bob Harmon and Simon McKay. Others who will be competing include the following: Mike Fensterstock '04, Nick Gladd '03, Mike Healey '03, Josh Jones '04, Seth Obed '03, Ed Pierce '03, Jo Pierce '05, and Nathan Riddell '05.

"This [team] is a special group of people that represents the school well," Meagher said. "The players are a lot of fun to be around.

"We're looking forward to this program maturing into a formidable force in NESCAC golf. If we can keep Shuman out of the woods and have Gladd and McNearny shoot the same rounds in competition as in practice, and have our younger players with promise produce it, it should be a really fun year," he continued.

This weekend's Bowdoin Invitational, slated to take place September 16 and 17 at the Brunswick Golf Club, will be the Polar Bears' first test of the season. On September 23, the men will travel to Waterville, Maine, to face Colby's sterile Mules. The NESCAC golf championships will be hosted by Williams College on September 29 and 30.

This season, the men's team will compete in a total of nine matches, two of which will be hosted by the College at the Brunswick GC.

This fall marks the newly formed Bowdoin Women's Golf Team's inaguaral season. The roster is comprised of six students: Tara Talbot '02, Kathryn Crowley '02, Homa Mojtabai '02, Kristie Miller '02, Emily McKissock '03, and Emily Blum '04. The team, under the tutelage of women's ice hockey and softball coach Michelle Amidon, also practices at the BGC.

The players bring varying degrees of golf experience with them, but share an enthusiasm for being part of Bowdoin's first women's team. "Most of the women on the team are pretty new to golf, so it's exciting for us all to have the chance to play every day," Talbot said. "Hopefully our athleticism and our competitive nature will make up for our lack of experience. Either way, I'm sure we'll all have a good time."

In previous years, women who were interested in playing at the College had to compete on the men's team, a situation that led many promising female golfers to opt out of competing, according to Amidon. "I'm pretty pleased with the levels and numbers for this year," she said. "Now that we have a separate and defined women's program, increasing both talent and numbers shouldn't be difficult."

The women's season includes four matches, the first being the Bowdoin Invitational this weekend. On September 22, the Lady Polar Bears travel to Massachusetts to compete against Wellesley. Bowdoin Women's Golf will also represent at the NESCAC tournament, hosted by Williams on September 29. Their last competition will be the CBB tournament on October 6.