Marshall University Athletics
USA vs. Japan Golf Championship Team Announced
6/22/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
USA vs. Japan Golf Championship Team Announced
6/22/2001
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. -- Marshall University Golf Coach Joe Feaganes will serve as team leader for the United States squads at the USA vs. Japan Collegiate Golf Championship scheduled for July 3-5 at Verde Sano Country Club in Sano*shi, Tochigi-ken, Japan.
"This is truly a great honor," said Feaganes. "I am very fortunate to have this opportunity to work with some of the finest coaches and players in the nation. As always, I am sure our young men and women will represent us well."
This marks the second consecutive year that Feaganes will serve as team leader. In 1985 he was selected as head coach of the United States team in the annual matches.
The U.S. Team is comprised of eight men and four women who will compete against their Japanese counterparts in the three-day match-play. The GCAA All-America committee selected the eight male representatives (including a player from Divisions II and III). The National Golf Coaches Association (NGCA), the professional association of women's college golf coaches, named the female members of the U.S. team.
The 2001 U.S. team members are: Anthony Arvidson, Oregon State; Ricky Barnes, Arizona; Natalie Gulbis, Arizona; Hunter Mahan, USC; Alan Morgan, LSU; Kevin O'Connell, Greensboro College; Bryant Odom, Georgia; Rob Oppenheim, Rollins College; Stacy Pramannsudh, Tulsa; Summer Sirmons, Georgia; Natalie Tucker, Indiana and Nick Watney, Fresno State.
Coach of the U.S. men's team is Arizona Director of Golf, Rick LaRose. LaRose guided the Wildcats to a third-place finish in the 2001 NCAA Championships, and a second-place finish in the NCAA West Regional.
Coaching the U.S. women's team is Arizona Women's Golf Head Coach, Greg Allen. In his first year at Arizona, Allen's 2000 squad won the national championship. His 2001 team finished the season ranked second in the MasterCard Collegiate Golf Rankings.
The USA vs. Japan Collegiate Golf Championship began in 1975, and has taken place every year since, except 1991. Former U.S. players include Curtis Strange, Brad Faxon, Juli Inkster, Davis Love III, Steve Stricker, Bob Tway and Scott Verplank.
The United States leads the series in this Walker Cup-style event, 18-6.
Daily coverage of the 2001 USA vs. Japan Collegiate Golf Championship can be found on the official website of the GCAA, collegiategolf.com, during the competition.
Feaganes, 56, is entering his 30th year as head golf coach at Marshall University. He is a member of both the Golf Coaches Association of America Hall of Fame and the Marshall University Athletic Hall of Fame. The veteran head coach presently serves as First Vice-President of the GCAA.
