by Travis Weber
Daily Lobo
Coming off its most successful season since the late '70s and a fifth-place finish in the NCAA Championships, the UNM men's golf team will look to senior Jay Choi to lead it.
The team will take on an entirely new makeup this year after suffering the loss of three major players and the assistant coach.
The Lobos lost former seniors Madalitso Muthiya and Miguel Griego to graduation. Spencer Levin skipped his senior year to pursue a professional career.
Take out those three players and the Lobos are left with two-fifths of UNM's NCAA team from a year ago.
The Lobos also suffered another loss this past week when their assistant coach of four years, Ryan Murphy, accepted a head coaching job at St. Edward's University in Austin, Texas.
"It's tough losing all those guys and a coach, too, but we support all their decisions and wish them the best of luck," head coach Glen Millican said. "We are just thankful for the time they spent here."
Turning to the upcoming season, the Lobos look prepared to take another crack at placing high at the NCAAs.
"The whole team will be expected to contribute," Millican said.
Choi will be expected to fill the hole left in the lineup by Levin. He said he is primed to take on the challenge.
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Choi ended the summer in good fashion, with a third-round appearance in the U.S. Amateur at Merion Golf Club in Pennsylvania, losing in 19 holes to former Big 12 Player of the Year Anthony Kim.
"It was a disappointing loss," Choi said. "I made it to the third out of six rounds, which is good, but I felt I could have done better. I was just happy to be there."
Choi's attention now turns to his fellow players and the upcoming season. He said he has high aspirations for this year's team.
"I just want the team to do better than last year, and I look for the same thing out of myself," he said.
As for his coach, Millican is still stressing the same points: school first, with the team a close second.
Millican holds all his players to the same standard, and expects the same work effort from each of them, he said.
"We try to keep a 3.0 in the classroom as well as hard work and consistency - the same as on the golf course," he said.
As for higher expectations for Choi and the other team leaders, Mark Anderson and Charlie Beljan, Millican doesn't have any.
"I expect Jay, as well as Mark and Charlie, to play up to their full potential and nothing more," he said. "There is no added pressure on any of them."
In return, Choi doesn't feel pressure from anyone. He presumes he will be sharing some of his knowledge with the incoming freshmen.
"I want to try to be a good mentor to these guys, so they become better players," he said.
Millican expects Choi and the other team leaders will pitch in their own bits of know ledge to the younger players, especially with the absence of Murphy.
"It is hard to lose a coach like Ryan, because he knows so much and brings a lot to the table," Millican said. "Jay, Mark and Charlie have experience in big tournaments, though, and I'm sure they will help fill in with the freshmen."
