The golf team’s fourth place-finish at the Commonwealth Coast Conference Qualifier earned them a spot in the conference championship coming up in the spring of 2019.

The Hawks have carried last season’s momentum into this year. They also qualified for the CCC Championship last year, placing third.

“As the season began I knew we would have a good chance qualifying for the CCC tournament in the spring with the team we have,” junior Justin Hayes said. “With only three returning players, we have had some good additions to the team to help us qualify.” 

Hayes also noted the competitive nature of the team, which helped them reach the point they are at now.

“Everyone loves to compete this year and we are all pushing each other,” he said. “Heading into the rest of the fall season, our mindset is to win the rest of the tournaments we have this fall and bring home a CCC title in the spring.”

The success for the Hawks this year can also be attributed to the new coaching staff. This past July, RWU announced Ed Kirby and Joshua Unkrich as new head and assistant coach, respectively, for the Hawks. Unkrich, a 2018 graduate of RWU and two-time first team all-CCC selection for the golf team backs up Kirby, who has extraordinary experience with the game. Kirby has served as a pro at three different courses and participated in the PGA Tour, including four U.S. Opens and the 2015 Senior PGA Championship.

The new additions to the coaching staff definitely caught the eye of the players, as well.

“Our new coach Ed Kirby has really helped this team become better each and every day. Placing second in our first tournament was a great start to the season and now that we qualified for the CCC tournament in the spring, this has given us more motivation to practice and become the best team in our conference,” Hayes said.  

The Hawks still have a busy fall season before focusing their attention on winning the first CCC Championship in program history. The Hawks will compete in the Elms Invitational in Amherst, Mass. on Oct. 6 and 7. Their final match of the fall will be at the New England Intercollegiate Golf Association Championship in Brewster, Mass. on Oct. 20 and 21.