August 29, 2019
By ARKANSAS TECH SPORTS INFORMATION
RUSSELLVILLE – Arkansas Tech men’s golf has been unanimously voted as the favorite to win the Great American Conference in the Preseason Coaches’ Poll, the league announced Monday. The Wonder Boys garnered 81 points, along with 9 first place votes. Henderson State came in second with 66 and Southern Arkansas at third with 65 points and one first place vote.
The 2018-19 Wonder Boys advanced to the NCAA Championship quarterfinal for the third consecutive year after capturing their second GAC Championship and finishing fourth at the Midwest/Central Region Championships.
Arkansas Tech returns all five golfers that played in NCAA National Championships last season, including two Division II PING All-American honorable mention selections, Austin Gean and Shawn Tsai. Gean averaged a team best 73.13 strokes last season and finished in the top-10 of two tournaments. Tsai averaged 73.50 and earned four top 10 finishes.
Four-time GAC Coach of the Year Luke Calcatera also welcomes back Andre Jacobs, the GAC individual medalist and his brother Francois, who took third. Gean and Tsai finished inside the top-11 at the NCAA Championships. Jackson Marseilles, who won GAC Freshman of the Year in the 2017-2018 season, also returns for the 2019-2020 season.
Arkansas Tech opens the 2019-2020 season in Tahlequah, Okla., as the Wonder Boys compete in the two-day Northeastern State Classic at the Muskogee Golf Club on Monday, Sept. 16.