2019 ACAC Championship Golf Preview

Golfers will have the chance to taste the Coalmine Nachos or Cowboy Burger this weekend. It's the 2019-2020 Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference Golf Championships (ACAC). 

Hosted by the University of Alberta Augustana Vikings, and located at Coal Creek Golf Resort near Ryley, Alberta.

Here are quick thumbnail looks at the participating schools.

Concordia University of Edmonton Thunder

ACAC Women's Golf Team Titles: 0

Ranked second in the CCAA polls, the Thunder will look to the talents of sisters Kassidy (5th year, Bachelor of Education, Falher Alberta) and Kennedy Turcotte (2nd year, Bachelor of Science, Falher Alberta).

"Kassidy has the ability to follow a game plan, and her technical strength is excellent, and she is physically athletic," said head coach Larry Petryk. "Kennedy is the same, and she thinks well around the golf course."

Petryk says, together, they share information and recommendations with each other, and they are good coaching each other.

"The most amazing thing about these girls is that they grew up in a small northern Alberta town where the opportunity and resources are limited, and they could rise to the college level which is impressive."

Kennedy won both the North Regional (September 14-15, 2019 at RedTail Landing Golf Club) and South Regional (September 21-22, 2019 at Valley Ridge Golf Club) with 150 and 163 scores respectfully. Kassidy was third at the North Regional with a 169, while a 174 was good enough for fourth at the South Regional.

Kassidy's highest finish at ACAC provincials was silver in 2017-2018 with a 90. Gold went to Red Deer Queens' Shaye Leidenius with a two-day 82 total. Kennedy also has an ACAC silver medal on the trophy shelf from last year's provincials, which were captured by Medicine Hat College Rattlers' Becky Martin 150-166.

Thunder were bronze medalists in the women's team event last year along with the mixed team event.

ACAC Men's Golf Team Titles: 0

The Thunder will look to the talents of a veteran and a rookie.

"Nicolas Pittman (3rd year, Business Management, Edmonton Alberta) is definitely our number one," said head coach Larry Petryk. "He shot a personal best 68 (three-under) at RedTail Landing Golf Club at the (ACAC) North Regional last Sunday."

At the two Regional tournaments leading up to the ACAC championships, he placed third (North) and 16th (South). Pittman was tied for sixth last year with four other golfers at the ACAC provincials.

"Our recruit Shane Collins (Bachelor of Science, Manning Alberta) has a steady demeanour and has shown a lot of consistency."

Concordia swung to silver in the men's team event last year.

MacEwan University Griffins

ACAC Women's Golf Team Titles: 10

Asked what the ranking of nine in the CCAA polls means to the team, head coach Jodi Campbell replied: "We feel proud of the ranking, but at the same time, it does not mean much until we get to the ACAC championships."

Leading the way for the Griffins is Jordan Hoyda (3rd year, Bachelor of Commerce, Valleyview Alberta).

"Jordan just had a great weekend and shot an 81 (South Regionals), which is her lowest as a Griffin. We had to replace half of our team this year, and we have some girls that are developing, which is great."

Shooting a respectable 198 (97-101), Hoyda was 12th last year at provincials, held at Alberta Springs Golf Resort.

ACAC Men's Golf Team Titles: 8

Justin Berget (3rd year, Bachelor of Commerce, Spruce Grove Alberta) will captain the Griffins onto the greens.

"Justin has been providing a ton of leadership and has shown so much grit," praised head coach Jodi Campbell. "He had a lot of momentum going into last weekend and finished strong. He is the guy that we will be leaning on, and he will do quite well."

Campbell says that Berget has a lot of confidence in his game, and he is a competitive player that wants to do well and can bounce back. Berget won the North tourney with a two-day total of 139, which was one better than Vikings' Harrison. At the South tourney, Berget tied for fourth.

"We also have quite a few rookies that are playing well. With Stephen Christenson (Bachelor of Arts, Edmonton Alberta) we are looking at him to provide some consistency."

MacEwan is defending ACAC men's champions.

Medicine Hat College Rattlers

ACAC Women's Golf Team Titles: 2

Ranked fifth in the CCAA polls, head coach Dillon Batsel will look to Nicole Schultz and Sierra Zukowski.

Nicole Schultz (4th year, Bachelor of Nursing, Olds Alberta) is a physically strong woman and hits a far way. "She has played a lot of tournaments in her life and she has a great skill set and is consistent," says Batsel. 

Sierra Zukowski (3rd, Bachelor of Applied Arts - Visual Communications, Medicine Hat Alberta) is mentally very strong. "She is consistent in that she sticks to her game plan and strategizes her way around the course." 

Schultz was 2nd (167) at South Regionals, where she had two birdies and 4th (171) at North Regionals. Zukowski was 3rd (168) at South Regionals and 5th (176) at North Regionals. Zukowski and Schultz placed 7th and 10th at last year's provincials held in inclement weather.

Medicine Hat Rattlers are defending ACAC champion while their mixed team earned silver last year.

ACAC Men's Golf Team Titles: 0

"Chase Broderson (2nd year, Business Admin, Lacombe, Alberta) is the most experienced of our (male) players in playing tournaments," says head coach Dillon Batsel of the former Red Deer Kings student/athlete.

"Tournament play is a lot different than playing golf casually, and Chase has played in a lot of tournaments, and he is the most comfortable in playing in events like this."

Batsel says Broderson hits his driver quite well and his iron game is solid. "His putting game is the weakest, but it is not poor, but it is where he has to make up the most ground."

Broderson placed ninth at the ACAC North and eighth at the ACAC South tournament and claimed silver at last year's provincials with an impressive 151 (73-78).

Portage Voyageurs

ACAC Women's Golf Team Titles: 0

Goodfish Lake, Alberta native Tannis Quinney has a wealth of experience at the ACAC level with provincial championship placements of 6th in 2015-2016 and 8th in 2014-2015.

Second-year student/athlete Candice Janvier from Lac La Biche looks to improve on her 15th placement at last year's provincials, and things are looking up as she placed 10th at the South Regional and 11th at the North Regional.

ACAC Men's Golf Team Titles: 0

Portage has three golfers with Braiden Baron, Colton Cardinal and Wade Doucet bringing their A-game to provincials. Doucet was 27th in a field of 46 at last year's finals. Cardinal was 45th.

SAIT Trojans

ACAC Women's Golf Team Titles: 1

Ranked seventh in the CCAA polls, head coach Stephen Yanitski will look to a rookie golfer and two hockey players making the transition from stick-to-club.

"One of our rookies Carey McLean (Travel and Tourism, Deer Valley Saskatchewan) is an experienced junior golfer who is translating well at the ACAC level. We are looking for her to put up some good numbers."

McLean was an impressive second at North Regional with a 163 score and 7th at South Regional (177).

"We also have some duo-sport athletes with Tashel Scantlebury (5th year, Community Economic Development, Foxwarren, Manitoba) and Karmen Mooney (5th year, Bachelor of Science Construction Project Management, Squamish, British Columbia) from the (SAIT Trojans) women's hockey team. "They were developmental players from last year, and they have put in the work during the offseason. From hockey, they have the power and the general motion of sending an object as hard as they can and now they had to develop the scoring touch. With golf, it is distance control."

ACAC Men's Golf Team Titles: 6

Two weeks ago the Trojans were not even in the Top 10 CCAA ranking polls. This week's poll which was released Tuesday finds them at an impressive fifth.

"We have had five guys, and each of them has stepped up this year, so it would be tough just to pick out one or two guys," said head coach Stephen Yanitski, when asked who his top two golfers are. "Cole Keebler (2nd year, Business Administration., Calgary Alberta) is one of the quiet leaders on the team and leads by example. During the last two (ACAC) tournaments, he has played three rounds that have been the lowest on the team. He can scramble and make pars from anywhere on the golf course."

Keebler was second at the South Regional only one stroke behind Vikings' Harrison.

"Dakota Smith (2nd year, Bachelor of Business Administration, Edmonton Alberta) has aspirations of turning pro later in his golf career. He is probably the most passionate golfer I have seen in a while, and it translates to his work ethic. He has turned into one of our go-to-players."

Smith was fourth at the North Regional only one stroke behind third place. He tied for fourth with two other golfers at the South Regional.

University of Alberta Augustana Vikings

ACAC Women's Golf Team Titles: 0

Vikings head coach Bill Penny has seen a vast improvement in 2nd-year Physical Education student/athlete Jayden Bauer.

"Jayden is capable of shooting in the mid-80s (a Day 1 86 total and Day 2 88 scores at South Regionals, placing 6th) but when she came to me a year ago, she couldn't break 95."

ACAC Men's Golf Team Titles: 1

The Vikings entered the CCAA polls this week at eight. Two-time defending Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) men's golf champion Michael Harrison, from the University of Alberta Augustana Vikings, has a chance at making ACAC history this weekend at Coal Creek Golf Resort.

Vikings' head coach Bill Penny believes Harrison has a good chance at changing that fact.

"He is just a tremendous all-around kid. He has won (UAA) Athlete of the Year the last two years and academic wise...he has been a 4.0 student from day one. He has it all. He is the total package."

In his ACAC rookie season, Harrison earned an ACAC silver at 2015-2016 golf provincials with teammate Braxton Fox edging him 153-156. The following season (2016-2017) Harrison placed a respectable 10th shooting 163.

His first gold came in 2017-2018 with a one-stroke win over McEwan Griffins' Les Fisher 154-153 at RedTail Landing Golf Club.

Last year it was a comfortable six-stroke victory 145-151 against Red Deer Kings' Chase Broderson.

"He (Harrison) would be the favourite this weekend as this is his home course. I expect him to shine this weekend, no matter what the weather conditions are. He is going in with a great attitude, and he is a real team player."

At the ACAC North Regionals held September 14-15, 2019 at RedTail Landing Golf Club, Harrison placed second with a two-day total of 140. At the ACAC South Regional hosted September 21-22, 2019 at Valley Ridge Golf Club he placed first with a two-over 146.

Aside from Michael Harrison, the Vikings also showcase the talents of Braden Clarkson.

 "He was a CCAA All Canadian a few years back," recalled Vikings head coach Bill Penny of Clarkson, a 5th-year Physical Education student/athlete who placed 4th at the 2016-2017 ACAC provincials. "His game has developed, and he is a much more solid player. He matured a little bit more, and I expect him to be high in the standings."

Clarkson was third at South Regional and tied for seventh at North Regional.

Scores heading into the weekend:

WGOLF: Concordia is first in women's team standings at 656 followed by the Rattlers 682, Trojans 705 and Griffins 728.

MGOLF: SAIT is first in men's team standings at 1,193 followed by the Vikings 1,212, Griffins 1,224 and Rattlers 1,232.

The 2019-2020 CCAA Golfing Championships will be held at Sorel-Tracy, Quebec from October 14-18, 2019 and hosted byCégep André-Laurendeau.