The UNM men's golf team tees off its season today in the 47th annual William H. Tucker Intercollegiate tournament at the UNM Championship Golf Course.
The men are now ranked 19th in the Golf World top-20 poll and are expected to be a top competitor in the tournament.
"We should finish well, it's our home course and we know it better than anybody," said first year head coach Glen Millican. "I'd like to win, obviously. It would be nice to get another win at the Tucker."
The team has won the tournament six times, but not since 1992. This year's tournament features some of the powerhouses in men's golf. Seven of the 20 teams participating in the tournament are ranked, including second-ranked University of Arizona.
The two-day tournament begins with 36 holes today starting at 8 a.m., and concludes with the remaining 18 holes tomorrow at the same start time.
The Lobo's top five players for the tournament are seniors Wil Collins and Scott Hailes, junior Michael Letzig, sophomore Jim Anderson and freshman David Schultz.
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The Lobos will also have the only junior varsity team out on the course, which features junior Jeremy Kavanagh; sophomores Jeff Briggs and Ian Medlock; and freshmen Jay Reynolds and Madalitso Muthiya.
"We have our top five for this tournament, but we've got 11 guys, really, that can be in our top five at any time," Millican said.
Millican is very familiar with the Lobo golf program after being an assistant coach under former coach J.T. Higgins for four years and was a four-year letter-winner from 1995-98. Assistant coach Ryan Murphy is also a former Lobo, having played from 1993-96.
"They are player's coaches; they take care of you and communicate with you very well on your level," Collins said. "They've been doing a good job."
UNM had a good season overall last year, but it ended with a terrible finish. It set a school record by winning three team titles during the regular season. Then the team's success came to an abrupt ending when they failed to qualify for the NCAA Championships for just the third time in 17 years.
Schultz said the bitter ending last year should ignite the team to a successful season.
"The older guys were a little mad, so they are going to try even harder to get back to the nationals this year," he said.
UNM is well equipped to do just that with several decorated players on the course this season.
Collins won the 2001 Hogan Award last season, given to the top student-athlete men's golfer in the nation. He also received his second Mountain West Conference all-conference award and was an All-American as a freshman.
Letzig was the 2000 conference Freshman of the Year. He was honored by the conference again last season after being named to the all-conference team.
Out of the new players, Kavanagh, a transfer from Scottsdale Community College, won the 2001 junior college national championship and Muthiya was the Zambia Athlete of the Year.
"It should be exciting to see the combination of the old guys and the young guys this year," Millican said.
Millican said he is looking to the three captains - Collins, Letzig and Hailes - to be the core and leaders of this year's team.
"I look for them to have a great year, they have a great opportunity to be All-Americans," he said. "They have all they need, it's just a matter of things going right for them."
Collins is ready for the responsibility.
"I am excited to be a senior this year and to have no one above me, it's kind of nice," he said. "I can lead in my own way by action and leadership. I am excited to do it."
Letzig said the teams' chemistry will improve the team during the season.
"This year, we will ultimately be better because our team is a group and everybody wants to be here," Letzig said. "We have two great coaches that everybody feels like they want to play for and they want to make look good. Physically we are better. Mentally it will be a lot more fun."
Millican said he expects the team to have another successful season and hopefully the final result will be better.
"We should finish the year ranked in the top 10," he said. "Once you get in the top 10 you never know what can happen. Florida started the year out ranked 20th last year and won the National Championship. At least we know it is possible."
