When you think of the few nationally publicized sports at Penn, men's basketball and football are the first ones to come to mind. But over the past few months, a much smaller program is quietly building up steam and gaining recognition across the country.
Penn men's golf heads into the fall with high expectations after recently being ranked as the fifth-best academic program for golfers in the popular golf publication Golf Digest, behind only Yale and Princeton within the Ivy League.
Despite the graduation of the reliable co-captain Derek Rogers, the team features a stellar freshman class and a strong core of returning competitors, anchored by senior captain Sean Barrett.
According to head coach Rob Powelson, the freshmen have quickly earned the respect of the veterans and have made a solid transition to collegiate golf.
"Right off the bat, there's been a strong cohesion between the three of them," Powelson said of the freshmen. "They're fierce competitors, and they've enjoyed their time here so far."
Leading the freshmen class is Chance Pipitone, a highly-touted recruit from Houston. Pipitone earned Rolex All-American honorable mention in high school and is expected to make an impact from the beginning.
Given the team's emergence as a legitimate Ivy League contender over the past few years, it has lately been easier for Powelson to bring golfers to Philadelphia.
In fact, he was able to draw Pipitone with the help of Rogers, who also hails from Houston.
Over the summer, the men's and women's golf teams were featured in a brief spot on the Golf Channel, in which Rogers gave an informal campus tour of the University and talked about his experience on the Quakers.
Powelson added that "the nice ranking in Golf Digest and more recognition" has helped to attract freshmen for the Class of 2011 as well.
As for this season, the team will look to Barrett, the sole senior, for leadership. Coming off of an all-league performance last season, the one-time United States Amateur qualifier led the Quakers last season with a stroke average of 75.1.
"Sean has continually paid dividends for the program," Powelson said. "He drives the other guys to bring their game to the next level."
Also returning are juniors Dean Merrill and Nick Ryder, both of whom enjoyed successful campaigns last spring and will help Barrett to show the freshmen the ropes.
Rounding out the Class of 2010 are David Poss of Newnan, Ga., and Bryant Williams of the Bay Area. Both golfers come to Penn with impressive high-school resumes and, according to Powelson, have demonstrated a lot of enthusiasm thus far.
The fall schedule features four tournaments, beginning with the Navy Invitational this weekend. Next, Penn will compete for the first time ever in the McLaughlin at Bethpage's Red Course. Bethpage, whose Black Course has been a site for the US Open, should prove challenging for the Quakers, who will face two Ivy League powerhouses in Princeton and Columbia.
Penn will then try to defend its title at Yale in the MacDonald Cup, and the team will cap off its fall season with the Big 5 Classic at the Philadelphia Cricket Club.
