"Freshman, get to the back of the bus," Penn golf's senior captain Sean Barrett ordered as the team prepared to head out for its final round at the NCAA West Regional in Tempe, Ariz., last weekend.
With the Quakers in 23rd place (of 27), this was very likely Barrett's last ride to a course as captain.
But Chance Pipitone didn't budge from the spot in the front of the bus. Instead, he sat measuring his response.
"I'm not getting up. As far as I'm concerned, I earned this seat," he said.
Then, with only a hint of a smile, he announced "that if any of the rest of you go five-under, you can ride in the front, too."
For coach Rob Powelson, this story exemplifies his young gun - brash and self-assured with more than a trace of cockiness. But it comes deservedly: the freshman played a large role in leading the Red and Blue to its first Ivy League title and postseason berth since 1998.
While the team failed to advance past its Regional, Pipitone's fifth-place finish sent him to the NCAA Championship in Williamsburg, Va., on May 30.
"Without question, he's one of the best athletes at Penn," Powelson said. "He's also got a real personality - has a lot of Texas in him."
This past weekend was a bittersweet one for the team. On the one hand, it was important that the team won the Ivy League and finished respectably at the Regionals.
But on the other hand, it was sad for Barrett, playing his last tournament, and for the rest of the team, losing after going so far.
Still, Pipitone's success overshadowed all that - it isn't every day that an Ivy League player advances to the NCAA Championship.
Coaches from the conference called to congratulate Penn and its star freshman. All had the same message: what he did is a huge step for Ivy League golf.
Powelson knew he had a shot at something special when he started recruiting Pipitone, who was a Rolex Top 100 honorable mention out of high shool. Strong golf universities like USC and Rice were vying for the young Texan. So were Ancient Eight rivals Princeton and Dartmouth.
But Pipitone was won over by Penn, Wharton, and the camaraderie he felt among his future teammates on his official visit. Expectations were high, and he didn't disappoint. In his first tournament, he carded the round of the day on Sunday, going two-under.
"That's what sets Chance apart," Powelson said. "There are players who are only comfortable around even-par. Chance always wants to go lower. Good amateurs are comfortable having to go low, whereas others get nervous and think they'll start messing up."
Even with this drive to go low, Pipitone has come to understand that winning on the collegiate level requires five players firing on all cylinders and working well together.
Before the season, Powelson believed that if his team stayed focused and worked hard, they'd have a chance to play in the postseason. While focus was an issue at times for the team, working hard certainly was not - the coach felt that the team's conditioning was "the best it has been in my three-year tenure."
Pipitone is carrying on the tireless work ethic of the team as he prepares to compete in the NCAA Championship. He has refused to rest on his success, and is lifting weights and hitting balls for hours at the driving range. On May 27, he's going to Williamsburg to survey the course and play a few practice rounds.
"We think it sets up well for him," Powelson said. "Accuracy will be at a premium and he's straight off the tee."
More importantly, Pipitone said that he is going into the tournament with no pressure. He feels that he as just as good as any other player in the field.
"You've got to be confident, even a little cocky, if you want to be successful," Powelson said.
Shouldn't be a problem.
