MIAA Impacts Towson Golf

By: Luke Jackson

The Towson University golf team is hoping that their three players from Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association schools will make next season a better one.

Towson finished in sixth place in this spring's Colonial Athletic Association Men's Golf Championships, but the MIAA players should help coach Brian Yaniger's team.

Mount St. Joseph graduate Josh Jenkins will captain the Tigers. The junior played in five events and 13 rounds last fall with an average round of 76.6. He played six events and 14 rounds in the spring with an average round of 75.9 and had a low round of 68 all of last season.

"His golf game has improved dramatically over his two years at Towson," Yaniger said. "He is more aware of importance of distance control and accuracy over just hitting the ball a long way."

Jenkins received first team All-Metro honors after helping the Gaels to a 12-1 record and the MIAA A-Conference match play title in 2004. He also finished third in the conference tournament in 2004 and earned All-Conference honors three years in a row.

His golf experience has helped make Jenkins the unquestioned leader of the Tigers.

"His free spirit rubs off on the rest of the players, which keeps our team very loose and relaxed," said Yaniger. "Josh is the golf representative in Towson's student-athlete organization as well as the golf represenative to the leadership conference. Between the outstanding golf game and the time he makes for others, Josh is a model student-athlete. Under his leadership, we think that Towson Golf will be vastly improved this year."

Calvert Hall alum Frank Olszewski is entering his senior year at Towson. The son of the longtime men's soccer coach at Towson, he played in two events and four rounds last fall with an average round of 82.2. He played one event and two rounds this spring with an average round of 83.5. His low round all year was 79.

Olszewski leads by example on the golf course, but is also a mentor to the rest of the players on the team.

"His leadership and respect for the program are models for the rest of the team," said Yaniger. "It is easy to tell Frank is a coach's son. He is the first one to practice, the last to leave and works as hard as he can. He is probably the best putter on the team and is always ready to help others with that part of the game. Every team needs a someone like Frank if they are to succeed."

Olszewski helped Calvert Hall to the MIAA playoffs all four years he was on the varsity golf team. He was named first team All-MIAA his senior year.

Patrick "Mac" Defries is Towson's lone incoming golf freshman and another former Calvert Hall player. Defries helped the Cardinals to an 11-1 conference record and 13-2 mark overall this year. The Cardinals lost to Gilman in the MIAA A Conference title match, and Defries received All-Conference honors.

"Having watched Mac play twice, I can see there is a lot of talent there and as he plays and practices with our current team, there is no limit to what he can accomplish," Yaniger said.

Posted July 14, 2008