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Men's Golf
Coaching: Under the direction of head coach Tom Drennan, Rhode Island has dominated men's college golf in the Northeast over the last decade. The Rams have won ten of the last eleven New England Intercollegiate Golf Association (NEIGA) Championships, five Atlantic 10 Championships and made 16-straight NCAA Regional appearances. Three years ago Drennan led the Rams to a new level, competing with and beating some of the top golf programs in the country in the 2004 NCAA East Regional to earn the Rams' first berth in the NCAA National Championships since 1967. They posted their best team finish, taking eighth at the Regional to become the first team from Northeast District I to advance to the NCAA National Championships since the current regional format was adopted in 1988. Junior Kenneth Fahey also became the highest URI finisher in the 13 regional appearances, taking second just one stroke off the lead. If not for Drennan's strong influence on the program during his 20-year tenure, however, Rhode Island may be an also-ran. All the national recognition and championships that have come to Rhode Island as a result of the golf program are no mistake. Drennan's teams seem to get better every year. In 2003-04, the Rams won their second Atlantic 10 title in three years and fourth in the last six. They have won the New England Division 1 Championships ten times in the past eleven years. Drennan has been named Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year twice, adding to his already impressive total of eight New England Coach of the Year awards (1995, '97, '98, '99, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004 and 2007) and two Rhode Island Coach of the Year honors (1994, '99). As manager for the Providence basketball team as an undergraduate, Drennan learned the art of coaching first-hand from immortal Friar head coach, Joe Mullaney. After graduating from Providence in 1961, Drennan took only five years to become the athletic director at Roger Williams - a position he held until 1973. Drennan, who also served as the Hawks' head basketball and golf coach, led team to the 1968 NEIGA Small College Championship. In 1973, Drennan made the uncertain trip over the Newport and Jamestown bridges to the University of Rhode Island, where he served as Jack Kraft's assistant basketball coach from 1973 to 1977. Drennan then accepted a position in the university's financial aid office and became the Rhode Island golf coach a decade later. A native of Wethersfield, Conn., Drennan has been instrumental in guiding a Rhode Island golf program rich with tradition. The URI golf program has produced touring pros P.H. Pat Horgan and Dana Quigley, Paul Quigley, and 1995 Rhode Island amateur champion Kyle Phelps. Along with three-time Massachusetts Amateur Champion Jim Salinetti, Bermuda Open Champion Michael Sims, and last years Massachusetts Amateur Champion, Ben Spitz. Drennan was the President of the National Golf Coaches Association of America. He served as the NCAA District Chair for the National Tournament Selection Committee for four years and is on the advisory board of the Future Collegians World Tour and the U.S. Challenge Cup. He is also a past president of the New England Golf Coaches Association. He and his wife, Nancy, reside in Wakefield, R.I. The couple has four daughters (Kathleen Garlick, Christine Skerry, Elizabeth Just and Meredith Gibbons) and 10 grandchildren (Michaela, Ceileidh, Conor, Bridget, John Thomas, Neive, Grace, John Patrick, Brendan and Andrew). Rhode Island's NCAA National Championship Appearance Under Drennan 2004 - The Cascades Course at The Homestead, Hot Springs, Va., Team - James Clarke, Kenneth Fahey, Ben Spitz, David Spitz, Ben Tuthill. Rhode Island's NCAA Regional Championship Appearances Under Drennan 2007 - Atlanta, GA- Country Club of Georgia-Team- Ben Spitz, Jason Pannone, Mark Stevens, Jesse Larson, Devon Quigley 2006 - Lake Nona Golf and Country Club, Orlando, Fla., Team - Jason Pannone, Ben Spitz, Devon Quigley, Jesse Larson, Mark Stevens 2005 - Country Club of Tennessee, Nashville, Tenn., Team - Kenneth Fahey, Chad Spencer, Ben Spitz, Jason Panonne, Devon Quigley. 2004 - The Course at Yale, New Haven, Conn., Team - James Clarke, Kenneth Fahey, Ben Spitz, David Spitz, Ben Tuthill. 2003 - Auburn University Club, Auburn, Ala., Team - Michael Carbone, Ben Tuthill, David Spitz, Kenneth Fahey, Chad Spencer. 2002 - Settindown Creek Golf Course, Atlanta, Ga., Team - Michael Carbone, James Clarke, David Spitz, Jason Lockwood, Thomas Giles. 2001 - Golden Horseshoe Country Club, Williamsburg, Va., Team - Michael Sims, Michael Carbone, David Spitz, Tom Giles, Justin Thompson 2000 - Glenmaura National Golf Club, Moosic, Pa., Team - Jim Salinetti, Michael Sims, Josh Hillman, Michael Carbone, Tom Giles 1999 - Rhode Island Country Club, Barrington, R.I., Team - Josh Hillman, Joey Pohle, Jim Salinetti, Michael Sims, Justin Thompson 1998 - Melrose Golf Course, Daufuskie Island, S.C., Team - Efren Garcia-Estrada, Josh Hillman, Jim Salinetti, Michael Sims, Bryce Wallor 1997 - The Cascades, Homestead, Va., Team - Efren Garcia-Estrada, Peter Laurelli, Jim Salinetti, Mike Salvatore, Bryce Wallor 1996 - The Monster, Concord, N.Y., Team - Efren Garcia-Estrada, Peter Laurelli, Mike Salvatore, Mike Schanne, Bryce Wallor 1995 - Yale University Golf Course, New Haven, Conn., Individuals - Dave Carlson, Andrew Young 1994 - Grand National Lakes Golf Course, Auburn, Ala., Team - Derrick Breau, Michael Harrington, Lowell Metivier, Kyle Phelps, Andrew Young 1993 - Birdwood Country Club, Charlottesville, Va., Individuals - Derrick Breau, Michael Harrington, Kyle Phelps 1992 - Seven Oaks Country Club, Hamilton, N.Y., Individual - Kyle Phelps
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 HEAD COACH: TOM DRENNAN
ASST. COACH: RALPH GROVES
MEN'S GOLF LINKS
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