When the Pennsylvania College of Technology men’s golf team won the United East Championship last spring, coach Rob Lytle called it a “great, great tune-up because I believe we’ll be doing this again, year after year.”
After one of the most competitive fall and spring seasons in program history on some of the most challenging courses several of his players have experienced, Lytle has his team primed and ready for this Saturday and Sunday’s UE Championship at Philmont Country Club in Huntingdon, where the winner also earns an automatic berth in the NCAA Division III Championship.
Among the season’s highlights thus far have been first-place finishes in the UE Fall Preview, also at Philmont, and at the Drew University Birdie Bash, and third-place finishes at the Elizabethtown College Fall Invitational, Mountain Valley Collegiate Classic, D-III Northeast Elite and the Penn State Altoona Invitational.
In 11 outings, junior Peyton Mussina has led the way with three individual firsts, including at the UE Fall Preview, and four seconds. Over 17 rounds, his average score is 73, including a collegiate career-best 67 in the Northeast Shootout and 69s in the E-Town Fall Invite and Gettysburg Spring Shootout.
Juniors Gavin Baer, Will Orwig, Trevor Keaton and sophomore Gunner Redmond also will represent the college.
“Our fall schedule has been exactly what we wanted — good competition and great golf courses. That was the plan for the spring,” Lytle said. “The team is ready for the conference championship. We played well (on the Philmont 6,502-yard North Course) in the fall and are looking forward to the competition this weekend.
“I’m not sure how they will set up the course. It will be set up, the conference said, ‘championship style.’
“We will be ready!”
Also in the field, according to the United East website, are Clarks Summit University, Lancaster Bible College, Penn State Abington, Penn State Berks, Penn State Harrisburg, Rosemont College, Rutgers-Camden and Wilson College.
Schedule
Saturday-Sunday, April 27-28 — United East Championship at Philmont Country Club, Huntingdon, noon
For more about the United East, visit the conference website.
For additional information, visit the Wildcats Athletics website.