Jakob Milani
Sports Editor
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Andrea Jameson
Contributing Writer
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Men’s Golf

The Murray State men’s golf team had a very productive offseason leading up to the 2021-22 season. After former Head Coach Eddie Hunt stepped down following 20 years of coaching and a 9th place team finish in the OVC Championship, the Racers were forced to look for new leadership.

In order to fill their vacant position, the Racers hired Daniel DeLuca, a Lexington, Kentucky native who served as an assistant coach for men’s golf at the United States Military Academy at West Point from 2019-21. He also was an assistant coach for Stephen F. Austin University from 2017-19. DeLuca is the third Head coach in Murray State’s 61 year history.

Senior Quinn Easton added to the Racers big offseason when he was selected to be the OVC’s representative to the NCAA Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. Easton served as Murray States’ representative for the OVC SAAC last year and was selected for the national OVC position by all other OVC members.

Over the summer, the Racers were invited to participate in the 85th Irvin Cobb Championship in Paducah, Kentucky. Four current Racers placed top 20, with Easton and freshman Kamaren Cunnigham both carding a 3-under 68, tying for 3rd. The other two Racers to place were sophomore Tyler Powell with a ninth place score of 74 and sophomore Tyler Abernathy with an 18th place score of 84.

The Racers start the fall season at the Eastern Kentucky University Classic on Friday,Sept. 3. They will then play in the Derek Dolenc Invitational against SIUE on Sept. 27. After that, the Racers will take part in the Skyhawk Invitational against UT Martin on Oct. 4.

The Racers travel to play in the Bubba Barnett Intercollegiate against Arkansas State on Oct. 11. The Racers finish off their fall schedule at the TVA Credit Union Invitational against North Alabama on Oct. 18.

To kick off the spring season, the Racers travel to UNC Greensboro to play in the UNCG Invitational on Feb. 13. They then play in the Gulf Coast Collegiate against Nichols State on Feb. 27. Following that match is the Bobby Nichols Collegiate against Tennessee Tech on March 13.

The Racers then play Nichols State as a part of the LA Tour Intercollegiate on March 27. The Racers will then play against Morehead State in the Carpenter and Chaney Match Play on April 4. They finish off the regular season at Tennessee State when they play in the TSU Big Blue Intercollegiate on April 11.

Women’s Golf

The Murray State girls golf team played in just six regular season matches last season, with their best finish being first place in their final match of the season, the Jan Weaver Invitational at Murray State. The Racers finished fourth out of eight teams in the OVC tournament last season, just missing the cut for the NCAA tournament. This season, the Racers look to bounce back and advance to the NCAA tournament in the spring.

The Racers start their season against Missouri State in the Payne Stewart Memorial on Sept.. 13. They then travel to play in the Austin Peay Intercollegiate on Sept. 27. The Racers follow that match up with a trip to the Chris Banister Classic to play against Jacksonville State on Oct. 10. The Racers play in the Ozarks National Invitational hosted by Missouri State on Monday, Oct. 18 to wrap up their fall season.

In the spring, the Racers start at the South Alabama Invitational against Little Rock on Feb. 21, then will play Butler in the Benbow Collegiate on March 7. After a week off, the Racers take on University of Alabama at Birmingham in the Bama Beach Bash on March 20.

The Racers then take on University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in the Chattanooga Classic on March 27. They end the regular season at home when they play in the Jen Weaver Invitational on April 9.

Both the men’s and women’s golf teams look to have better seasons from last year, with the boys roster looking stronger than last season and the girls roster already proving they can compete with their 4th place finish last season. With their seasons kicking off in the coming weeks, time will tell just how well the golf teams will perform in the 2021-22 season.