By Tom Housenick
The Daily Item
May 08, 2007 04:00 am
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LEWISBURG -- Perhaps nothing is more gratifying in golf than scrambling for a par you have no business penciling in on your scorecard.
You know, the one where you miss the fairway off the tee, miss the green in regulation, hit your approach from a long way away and one-putt.
That's a great feeling that perhaps can be topped only by a college golf coach and others scrambling to get its senior back from the NCAA regional tournament in time to receive his diploma.
That was the case last May when Bison coach Jim Cotner feverishly orchestrated a plan to get senior Ben Pellicani back to Lewisburg from Tucson, Ariz., in time to graduate with his classmates.
Pellicani was busy making Bucknell history with his Bison golf teammates, participating in the NCAA event for the first time in program history.
Despite the time change and unforeseen travel problems, Pellicani made it to the graduation ceremony -- albeit only because of his ability to run on campus while simultaneously buttoning his gown.
Cotner and Co. could be facing that same challenge next week. The Bison are playing in the NCAA regional tournament for the second year in a row, this time at Karsten Golf Course in Tempe, Ariz.
NCAA Regionals are May 17-19. Bucknell graduation is May 20.
Bucknell earned its berth in the West Regional by winning the Patriot League title for the second year in a row, rallying on the second day over the final 18 holes of the 54-hole event last month to beat Navy by three shots.
Despite trailing by two shots after 36 holes on its home course, the Bison never panicked, though they had just 18 holes to reverse what senior captain Charlie Waddell called "mediocre play at best."
Bucknell's chance to defend its league team title eventually rested with the final score of the final round being posted by a freshman, which, according to coach Jim Cotner, is nerve-wracking because "you have no idea what's going to happen."
However, their confidence never wavered. Freshman Andrew Cohen came through and the Bison program took another step forward, going from barely competitive to league power.
Bucknell is the two-time PL champion and Waddell is a two-time individual kingpin (winning as a sophomore and junior).
Another sign of a good program is that Waddell could be the only senior who has to worry about getting back in time to graduate later this month. Fellow captain Kyle Moran is competing in a nine-hole playoff later this week with freshman Ryan Schneiter for the final spot on the Bucknell travel roster.
There were seven players battling for the final two spots -- with Waddell, junior Keita Aoki and Cohen secured with top-10 finishes at the PL event. But after 72 holes, only freshman Brian Bartow had earned his way onto the NCAA roster.
"You would think there would be separation after 72 holes, but there wasn't," Cotner said.
That is a sign that Cotner has developed a deep, balanced roster.
"I used to read golf publications and newspapers to find players," Cotner added. "Now they send me letters.
"From the success we've had, from what Charlie has done, it's changed. And when the (underclassmen) play in these summer amateur tournaments and others see the Bucknell golf bags, the floodgates will open."
It all started with Waddell winning the individual league title as a sophomore. Bucknell then ended Army's near decade-long reign as team champion in 2006.
Now Waddell has 54 holes left in his college career and it will come against big-time programs with a roster full of players expected to break par every time out.
"When you really look at it, it's just golf," Waddell said. "It's still 18 holes. You still have to hit fairways and greens. It's just a shot here, a shot there that's the difference."
Top five seeds in the West Regional are: Stanford, UCLA, UNLV, USC and East Tennessee State. Bucknell is seeded 26th in the 27-team region. The Bison finished 26th last year.
The top 10 teams advance to the national championships May 30-June 2 at Golden Horseshoe Golf Club Gold Course in Williamsburg, Va.
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