Sept. 7, 2004

The University of Northern Iowa men's golf team will be a young squad again this season. However, the Panthers graduated only one senior and are gaining three new freshmen in Josh Kruger, Jordan Weber and Robbie Rutt.

Kruger (Sumner, Iowa/Sumner) won the state 1A championship the past two years.

"Josh has tremendous length and has played plenty of competitive golf at tough courses," UNI head coach John Bermel said.

Kruger isn't the only high school champion joining the Panthers. Weber (Bernard, Iowa/Cascade) is the defending 2A state champion. This past summer, he competed at the Cedar Rapids Open and at the State Amateur. Rutt (Columbus Junction, Iowa/Columbus Junction) has plenty of experience from high school matches and other competitions, such as this year's Waterloo Open.

As to returning players, sophomore Ben Hanson (Waterloo, Iowa/Columbus) is definitely going to be a key player this season.

"Ben just keeps getting better and better all the time," Bermel said. Hanson shot a 76 in the first round of the U.S. Amateur qualifying this summer and came back in the second round firing a 66 with eight birdies and a double bogey. He finished last season with a team low stroke average of 76.8 after 30 rounds of play. He had a team high of 21 rounds in the 70's.

Sophomore Derek Bohlen (Waterloo, Iowa/Walnut Ridge) was important to the team last season and is expected to perform well again this fall. He had eight starts last season and had a 77.0 stroke average after 22 rounds of play. Bohlen also had 15 rounds in the 70's.

"Bohlen and Hanson were both pretty key last year. They played their best at the conference tournament and seem to have played enough competitive golf that we're going to kind of lean on them," Bermel said.

Junior Travis Marting (Dubuque, Iowa/Wahlert) also is going to be very important to the Panthers just as he has been the previous two seasons. He played in the number one position all last year. After 11 starts and 30 rounds of play, Marting finished last spring with a 78.4 stroke average, with and 16 rounds in the 70's.

Nick Eilertson (Garner, Iowa/Garner-Hayfield) and Ben George (Waterloo, Iowa/Columbus) are the only two seniors on the roster. George had an 89.0 stroke average after three rounds last season.

"Ben had a better summer than he's ever had. I'm going to put him back in the mix and see what he can do," Bermel said. Eilertson nearly won the Waterloo Open this summer, losing in a playoff. He had seven starts last year and a 78.7 stroke average after 19 rounds of play.

Sophomore Nate Erwin (Muscatine, Iowa/Muscatine) played well last fall and will hopefully do the same this season. He had a 77.6 stroke average after 21 rounds of play and seven starts.

The Panthers will be up against extremely tough competition this fall. The season kicks off Sunday Sept. 12 in Normal, Ill. at the D.A. Weibring Intercollegiate hosted by Illinois State.