Lions set to tee off fall golf slate by hosting EMCC Invitational at West Point’s Mossy Oak

SCOOBA – The East Mississippi Community College men's golf team will have the luxury of hosting the opening tournament of the 2023-24 MACCC golf season this coming week. The two-day EMCC Invitational is slated to take place Monday and Tuesday (Sept. 18-19) at West Point's Mossy Oak Golf Club.

Guided by third-year head coach Ashton Maddaloni, the EMCC men's golf team is coming off a spring season in which last year's five-member squad came within one shot of earning a district tournament appearance following a narrow playoff loss during this past spring's MACCC championship. Reigning NJCAA Gulf District Championship participant Carter Martin (Canton) leads the Lions' trio of returners. Fellow sophomores Daniel Martin (Parrish, AL) and Ben Boggan (Yazoo City/Benton Academy) are also back from last year's squad.

With a 10-player contingent that's twice the size as last year's EMCC team, the Lions also feature seven newcomers comprised of five in-state freshmen and international players Lorenzo Ligabue of Italy and Norway's Haavard Haakensen. Along with Carter Martin and Ligabue qualifying first and second, respectively, for EMCC's opening tournament lineup, the Lions' initial qualifying quintet will also feature Mississippi products Jack Mohead (Clarksdale/Lee Academy), Brian Ludden (Hernando/Hernando HS) and Trace Carpenter (Kosciusko/Winona Christian School).

"Qualifying was extremely competitive this preseason with the number of guys we have this year. The lineup could change on a weekly basis, which is a great problem to have," Maddaloni noted. "Carter has been solid throughout qualifying and he is locked in for our No. 1 position this week. The rest of our top five this week are incoming freshmen, who have impressed me throughout qualifying."

Returners Daniel Martin and Boggan, along with newcomers Haakensen, Lane Goodman (Brooksville/Heritage Academy) and Walker Tedford (Water Valley/Water Valley HS), will all compete as individual participants during the season-opening tournament at Mossy Oak.

While having competed in scrimmages this preseason against Itawamba CC, Jones College and MUW, the Lions faced some challenging competition that figure to help prepare them for the upcoming campaign on the links.

"During the scrimmages, we learned that this is going to be a very competitive conference this year," Maddaloni noted. "I think the competition level is high and is only going to get even more competitive, but at the end of the day that's great for our players."

Maddaloni also valued the opportunity for EMCC to be able to host the MACCC's initial tournament of the fall season at one of the best courses in the United States' southern region.

"We are very excited to be hosting at Mossy Oak," she added. "It is a very challenging course that we have been fortunate enough to have spent the majority of our practice and qualifying rounds playing leading up to this week's tournament. The course will provide a test for everyone, but our guys have done a great job learning the course and figuring out their game plans."

The Lions will continue MACCC event competition by beginning the month of October at tournaments hosted by East Central CC (Oct. 2-3 at Dancing Rabbit Golf Club in Philadelphia) and Jones College (Oct. 16-17 at Laurel Golf Club). The remainder of EMCC's fall golf schedule will consist of tournaments hosted by Mississippi Gulf Coast CC (Oct. 30-31 at Windance Country Club in Gulfport), Jefferson State CC (Nov. 6-7 at Musgrove Country Club in Jasper, AL), and William Carey University (Nov. 14 at Canebrake Country Club in Hattiesburg).