This spring, the men's golf team has a winning formula that seems to be equal parts new and old.
The new starts at the top. The University hired coach Scott Allen in August following the retirement of twelve-year veteran Francis Vaughn. Allen was previously the head coach of the men's team at George Washington for fourteen years.
In addition, the Quakers will get a boost from their three freshmen, most notably Scotty Williams, who got the most playing time of any rookie in the fall.
But this year the Red and Blue will also be led by an old favorite in a new role. Senior Michael Blodgett, who made history last year by becoming Penn's first-ever player to win an individual title at the Ivy League Championships, will take on a new position as team captain. Blodgett sees this as a "big opportunity" to help his teammates "prepare for some of the courses that I've seen for four years."
"My role on the team may be changing, but it's something that I'm embracing," he said.
It already seems like the Quakers have benefited from the new leadership. The team performed well at most of its fall tournaments, particularly at the Rehoboth Beach Invitational, which Penn won.
Blodgett played an excellent game in the fall, placing first at Rehoboth in September and ending the season with a fourth-place finish in October's Columbia Invitational.
Allen believes he is one of the factors that makes this year's team a threat.
"We're fortunate to have some great leadership . in Mike Blodgett, who was obviously one of the best players in the Northeast in the fall," Allen said. "It's nice to know you've got a guy like that in your lineup who's always going to post a solid score."
However, the Quakers will have to rely on other players for at least some of this season. Blodgett is currently suffering from Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, an injury that affects the neck and shoulder. He'll miss early-season tournaments.
"Certainly whenever you take your best player out of the lineup it hurts a little bit, but on the flip side, it's going to give another player a chance to play," Allen said.
Fortunately for the Quakers, the team is more than just its captain. Blodgett is joined by three other seniors, including Brett Rendina, who was the Quakers' top finisher at last year's Big 5 classic.
The younger players on the team also show promise. Williams placed sixth at Rehoboth and 22nd at Columbia. Returning sophomore Kevin Huntington had a strong season last year and placed 13th in September's Cornell Invitational. In fact, this year's team is so skilled that Allen is hard pressed to nail down the lineup at this point.
"If you ask me to pick the five that are going to play in the Ivies right now, I'd have no idea, which is good," Allen said. "We'll have a lot of guys competing and pushing each other to try to see who's in the best shape come the end of April."
Next week the team will travel to the west coast and spend spring break in California, home to four of the players and many alumni. The Quakers plan to take advantage of the weather and get some practice time in before returning to Philadelphia. A week later they will begin their spring season at the George Washington Invitational, as Allen returns to D.C.
By all accounts, this could be Penn's year. Both Allen and Blodgett are optimistic about the season.
"We're looking forward to a good year," Blodgett said. "I'm eager to start the season."
