Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, May 8, 1994 TAG: 9405080012
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-9 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
"I've already let the committee know where they can reach me Monday," Hardwick said Friday. "I won't be too far from a phone, believe me."
Coming off a season in which it won its second straight Metro Conference championship and two other tournaments, including the prestigious Palmetto Classic, Tech figures to be one of eight teams receiving NCAA East Regional bids out of the District III North Region.
"I don't want to say it's for certain," Hardwick said, "but I do feel very comfortable about it. If they keep us out the thing this year, they will have to rob us.
"We had to win the Metro, and we did. We won two other tournaments: the Kansas Invitational and the Palmetto, where we played a great last round [279 total] and came back to beat a heavyweight in Wake Forest on the final nine holes. We finished third in a strong field at the Cavalier Classic.
"We've done everything we could do as a team. No team had more than our three wins. I don't know how they could keep us out."
Hardwick, in his 11th season at Tech, said an NCAA bid "would be the biggest thing to ever happen to us."
The Hokies' last NCAA golf bid came in 1967.
The Tech program has improved greatly the past three years because of some strong recruits and a beefed-up schedule that has pitted the Hokies against some of the nation's best.
"We beat some good teams on some good golf courses," Hardwick said. "The Palmetto was undoubtedly our biggest win ever. We shot 279 the last day - the best round we've ever shot - and took it to Wake."
The future looks strong for the Tech program because Hardwick's top five players include one junior, two sophomores and two freshmen.
Redshirt junior Brian Sharp is the Hokies' top gun. Sharp, who transferred to Tech from Tennessee, led the team with a 73.5 stroke average.
Redshirt freshman Curtis Deal of Chesapeake made a big impact in the No. 2 spot, averaging 73.8. Deal, the 1992 Virginia Junior Player of the Year, transferred to Tech last year after originally signing with Virginia.
Sophomore Sean Farrell (74.1) of Zimbabwe and two Southwestern Virginians - redshirt freshman David Havens (76.1) of Wytheville and sophomore Matt Martin (77.4) of Radford - provided Hardwick with strong numbers in the Nos. 3-5 spots.
"For the first time in my coaching career, I used the same starting lineup in every tournament," Hardwick said.
Lewis Conner of Roanoke, who had a strong spring in 1993, was redshirted this season. Hardwick said he expects Conner to re-emerge as a force next season.
"Things are looking up," Hardwick said. "I think we will be even better down the road."
The NCAA East Regional will be played May 18-21 at the Grand National Golf Club in Auburn, Ala.
The NCAA Championship is scheduled for June 1-4 at McKinney, Texas.
by CNB