Story by Keith Jaco, Staff Writer

With the opening round of the OVC Championship teeing off today, The Murray State News previewed each OVC team’s chances to win the title.

Murray State

Murray State will enter Monday’s contest hopeful as it begins play on Monday down a starter. Sophomore Avery Edwards, from Paducah, Kentucky has been out most of the spring with a abdominal injury. With Edwards sidelined, Head Coach Eddie Hunt will look to sophomore Austin Knight, from Hopkinsville, Kentucky, for leadership and poise on the biggest stage of the year. The Racers enter the OVC Championship coming off a mediocre spring, in which they failed to crack the top five until the final tournament of the season. Murray State’s fourth-place finish in the Big Blue Intercollegiate showed signs of hope as Knight managed to sneak away with first place. The Racers will need help from all five starters this week as they set out to capture their fifth OVC Championship, and first since 2010.

Austin Peay

The Austin Peay Governors are heading into the OVC Championship after a strong spring performance. Austin Peay captured four top-3 finishes in 2018, including a first-place victory in the Fort Lauderdale Intercollegiate. The Governors are a young team sporting just one senior, but will be competitive in the field of 11 teams on Monday. Freshman Chase Korte and Sophomore Alex Vegh will lead the way for Austin Peay, as they try to bring home their first OVC Championship since 2013. Korte will look to stay hot after placing second in the Coca-Cola Wofford Intercollegiate two weeks ago.

Belmont

The Belmont men’s golf team has their work cut out for them when they head to Muscle Shoals, Alabama for the 69th OVC Championship. The Bruins experienced various setbacks throughout the spring, as they were unable to place higher than ninth in five events. Belmont will look to sophomore Nate Thomson for consistent play on Monday. Thomson was the only Bruin to place top-50 in all of his tournaments this spring. Belmont will look to Thomson and the rest of their crew in the OVC Championship on Monday.

Eastern Illinois

The Eastern Illinois Panthers will look to shock the OVC this week as they begin play in the OVC Championship. The Panthers’ spring troubles followed them to the end, as they earned a 14th-place finish in the Western Illinois Mussatto Invite last week. EIU will need help from all five of their participants, including a big week from junior Charlie Adare if they hope to upset the field. Adare is a veteran leader for the Panthers, participating in 67 career rounds in just three years of play.

Eastern Kentucky

Eastern Kentucky saw its regular season cut short in early April, as the team’s fourth event of the spring was cancelled due to inclimate weather. Despite their numbered experience in spring contests, the Colonels were still able to capture a first-place finish in the Bobby Nichols Intercollegiate. EKU will look to rejuvenate its season after having nearly a month off going into the OVC Championship. The Colonels will have a chance to claim their first OVC title since the 2014-2015 season.

Jacksonville State

Jacksonville State has its eye on back-to-back OVC Championships going into first round play Monday. The Gamecocks posted four top-three finishes in roughly nine tournaments this spring, the most experience of any team in the OVC. Jacksonville State finished its regular season two weeks ago in the Gary Koch Invitational in Gastonia, North Carolina. While the Gamecocks were overpowered by SEC schools in this tournament, they did obtain valuable experience that they will look to use in Muscle Shoals this week. The Gamecocks will need consistent play from freshman Jesus Montenegro. Montenegro is coming off a solid regular season, placing top-10 in every event but one.

Morehead State

In a season that saw numerous fifth-to-eighth finishes, the Morehead State Eagles hope to sneak out a win this week in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Despite ending the season on a sour note, the Eagles will look to senior Blake Cartwright and sophomore Cooper Collins for a jolt in performance. Cartwright and Collins each had success in the regular season, placing top-five once a piece. Being able to finish rounds strong will be a crucial factor for a successful week for the Eagles.

Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville

The Southern Illinois-Edwardsville men’s golf team is coming off an impressive regular season in which they earned top-10 finishes in all four events, and top-five honors in three of four. SIUE began its spring season hot as they placed second in the Loyola Intercollegiate, a tournament which hosted two other OVC schools, Murray State and UT Martin. The Cougars will look to junior Kyle Slattery for continued stellar play as the opening round begins on Monday. Slattery is the Cougars hottest golfer to-date, coming off a second and 23rd-place finish in his last two events.

Tennessee State

The Tigers played in just three contests from February to April. Yet in that time span, they were able to capture two top-five finishes including one second-place finish in their own tournament, the TSU Big Blue Intercollegiate. Tennessee State will need consistent play from sophomore John Tyminski and senior Jeremy Fultz if they want to be in contention come Wednesday afternoon. Tyminski earned a spot in second place in his team’s home tournament this spring, Fultz finished with a share of eighth.

Tennessee Tech

The Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles’ spring season showed both signs of promise and demise, as they were able to earn multiple top-five finishes before ending the season on a 14th-place finish in the Mason Rudolph Championship. The Golden Eagles hope to build off their early season success and put their previous woes in the past.

UT Martin

UT Martin has its eye on the prize heading into the OVC Championship on Monday. The Skyhawks failed to crack the top-five in their first tournament of the spring, but followed their 10th-place finish up with four top-five finishes, including a first-place victory in the TSU Big Blue Intercollegiate. UT Martin will look to harness this momentum and carry it into their first round of play on Monday in Muscle Shoals, Alabama.