[Golf] 2018-19 Season Preview: Golf

MONTREAT, N.C. – The goal for any team in a new athletic year is always do better than the previous season, and Montreat's men's and women's golf programs are no exception. The men are looking to improve from a season that did not end as well as they had hoped, while the women want to improve and build upon their historical 2017-18 season. With John Sullivan in his fifth year at the helm of the program, aided by second-year graduate assistant Amber Easler, the Cavs are determined to put in the work to have a successful 2018-19 campaign.

The main goal for the Cavs off the course this season is to become closer as a team by growing in their relationships with each other. "I think in order to be successful on the course, you need that team chemistry off the course," said Coach Sullivan.

Last year, the men did not play to their fullest potential. The squad provided glimpses of what they were capable of, but left a lot of room for improvement. "This year, I challenged our guys to focus on doing the little things right, use our practice wisely, and stay committed to our game plan for improving," said Coach Sullivan. "I think if we do that, the big goals we've set will take care of themselves."

The drive and determination of this team will be its biggest strength this year. The Cavs are hungry for success, and they possess the right attitude and work ethic to get it. There is no doubt in Coach Sullivan's mind that this year's men's squad can hang with any team in the conference and produce some All-Conference Players of the Year. "In my opinion, this is the best men's team Montreat has ever fielded and certainly the best lineup I've had since I've been here. All it will take is the belief and commitment to being the best we can be through hard work, determination, and little bit of patience," said Coach Sullivan.

The Cavs are excited to return three seniors and five sophomores this season. "In many ways, we're still a young team, but all in all, the younger guys especially are tournament-tested, so we are expecting them to step up this year and perform to the level we know they are capable of," said Coach Sullivan.

As for newcomers, recruiting has always been a top priority for Coach Sullivan. Freshman incomer Caleb Moss was a standout for Christ School in Asheville where he picked up a couple of individual wins during his senior year. Moss has great tournament experience, so Coach Sullivan is looking for him to make a smooth transition to the collegiate level and have a positive impact on the Cavs.

 "I'm most excited about the progress we've made as a program in terms of the kind of team we are. The culture we're building here is one of trust, respect, integrity, and commitment to excellence. We're not satisfied with where we've been. We want to improve and build on the previous year. As I said before, if we can focus on the little things, the bigger accomplishments will come," said Coach Sullivan.

The 2018-19 men's schedule features some familiar venues, but also sees the addition of some new sites to challenge the team. The schedule is highlighted by a PGA Tour course, which is expected to be a good test for the Cavs. Click here to view the full 2018-19 men's schedule.

For the women's team, last year was a historical one that saw three new school records in the fall season (lowest individual round, lowest team round, and total team score), as well as the school's first ever national golf ranking as the freshman scoring average peaked at No. 17.

The Cavs are returning several players who, after last year's accomplishments, give Coach Sullivan confidence that this year will be even better. The strength of the women's team this year will be these returners. "Experience will play a key role in how we perform this year," said Coach Sullivan.

On the flip-side, the Cavs lost a member who played an integral role in last year's success. However, this team is bigger than one person, and the loss has been turned into a positive by motivating the rest of the team to step up and fill that role.

Similar to the men, the focus of this year's women's team is to put in productive practices and use their time wisely. The team will look to eliminate careless mistakes and use better course management in order to see much lower scores.

"Even with what we accomplished last year, this team has the potential to play even better. We need to focus on keeping a positive mindset and practicing with a purpose," said Coach Sullivan. "If we can do that, we will accomplish some great things this year."

As for the women's schedule, the Cavs are focusing more on the spring events this year, using their fall schedule as more of a preview. "We play better in the fall, so we're focused on using these next few months to practice and prepare well for the spring," said Coach Sullivan. Click here to view the full 2018-19 women's schedule.