The Illinois State mens golf team looks once again to reign supreme at the Jim Colbert Intercollegiate at Kansas State University. The Birds are the defending champions of the tournament and are anticipating victory again starting Monday, October 1 and concluding Tuesday, October 2.
For the Birds, the same five from the Nebraska tourney will give it a go in Kansas. Seniors Nic Baker, B.J. Brown, and Adam Goldie will lead the charge. Sophomore Brian Anderson and freshman Kyle Vasel will be expected to contribute, as well. Baker, Goldie, and Vasel all placed in the Top-20 in the Nebraska tournament. The team finished fourth overall.
However, one obstacle the team must overcome is the amount of down time they had since playing in Nebraska. With the cancellation of the D.A. Weibring and an off week last weekend, the Redbirds have not participated in tourney play for nearly three weeks.
Were anxious to get on the road and start playing again, said head coach Harland Kilborn.
The Birds have played against local talent in the area on several different golf courses in an attempt to stay fresh for NCAA play. This tournament, like in Nebraska, will feature some high-class competition and the team is well aware of that fact.
The tournament will consist of eight teams. Of those eight, Coach Kilborn plans to keep an especially watchful eye on Kansas State, the host team, Missouri, which took second place at the Nebraska Fairway Club Invitational, Rice, and the University of Texas-San Antonio. He will not lose focus on Lamar, Southwest Texas, or Southwest Missouri State, either. Nonetheless, Coach Kilborn believes his Redbirds will be a team to reckon with in this tournament, as well.
The tournament will take place at Colbert Hills Golf Course in Manhattan, Kansas. The course is 7,150 yards with a par of 72. The 54-hole tournament will consist of 36 holes on Monday and 18 holes on Tuesday.
