Trojans picked third in preseason golf poll

MOUNT OLIVE – The University of Mount Olive men’s golf program was selected third in the preseason Conference Carolinas poll, which was recently released by the league office.

Last season, the Trojans finished third at the Conference Championship highlighted by recent graduate Brice Ballin winning individual medalist honors in the competition. Mount Olive returns six student-athletes from last year while introducing six newcomers to the roster under head coach Chip Spiron, who enters his 21st season at the helm.

Golfers to watch at UMO this season include Rasmus Ronnberg, a freshman from Kungsängen, Sweden; Max Lindblad, a freshman from Halmstad, Sweden and Jonas Arnstrom Bakker, a freshman from Strömstad, Sweden.

Barton was chosen as the preseason favorite in the league after finishing runner-up with two-time defending Coach of the Year Derek Hamm. The Bulldogs received three of a possible eight first-place votes from the league coaches. Erskine was positioned second in the poll with three-first place nods. The Trojans were slotted third in the rankings, while Belmont Abbey and King rounded out the top five in the poll.

The Conference Carolinas championship is set for April 23-25, at The Preserve at Verdae in Greenville, S.C.

— From University of Mount Olive Athletics