NEMCC GOLF PREPARES FOR SEASON OPENER, FEBRUARY 19 @ CO-LIN

BOONEVILLE, Miss.--  Northeast Mississippi Community College head golf coach Craig Lauderdale is looking forward to the start of the 2007 community college golf season, which is right around the corner as the Tigers will open the campaign at Copiah-Lincoln Community College on February 19 at Wolf Hollow Golf Club in Wesson, Miss.

Northeast’s golf team will look to pick up the momentum that it finished the 2006 season with at the State/Region 23 Golf Tournament at Hillandale Country Club in Corinth. The Tigers finished the event with a two-day total of 599 and in fourth place at the tournament.

Chase Williams (Corinth) led the way at Hillandale in March of 2006, firing rounds of 68 and 69 and finishing second in metal play. Williams leads a group of eight Northeast golfers into 2007, five of which are sophomores.

Following the season opener against Co-Lin on February 19, Northeast will travel to Eagle Ridge Country Club in Raymond, Miss. to face Hines Community College on February 2.

“We need to start off fast this season,” said coach Craig Lauderdale, a former JUCO All-American golfer for NEMCC. “Last year we finished strong, and we’ve got enough sophomore leadership to do that again, I think. We just need to get off to a good start so that the confidence is there late in the season. It’s always tough to start your season on the road. But, I feel Chase is a strong enough player that he’ll really be able to help these other guys early on.”

Northeast will finalize its 2007 season schedule this week and will be released at that time.