Friday, February 4
Palm Coast, Fla.
Rutgers University
at
Big Ten Match Play
Men’s Golf 2021-22 Spring Season Preview
Feb 03 | Men's Golf
PISCATAWAY, N.J - The Rutgers men's golf team kicks off their spring season and Big Ten match play on Friday, Feb. 4 from Palm Coast Fl. at Hammock Beach.
Head Coach Rob Shutte is excited to get his team back on the course as his roster looks to contend for a Big Ten championship in 2022.
"We want to win the Big Ten Championship, Shutte said. "I don't think we try to shy away. We are building towards that; we've improved in the Big Ten standings. It's been a few years in a row now where we have finished in the middle of the pack in the Big Ten. Golf is certainly a process sport. If we stick with the process hopefully, we are in the mix and improve every year."
Rutgers has four upperclassmen on the roster in senior Jack Doherty, junior Brendan Hansen, junior Luke Wells and junior Xavier Marcoux.
"The leadership is really great," Shutte said. "The leadership with Xavier and Luke has created really good chemistry from the captains all the way through. The biggest difference from year's past is that we are so young. We have eight guys and three freshmen. Half of our team is learning how to go to class for the first time. We are super young and have some great leadership from the captains."
Freshmen Cade Anderson, Weston Jones, Garrett Kessler and sophomore Rhett Sellers round out the roster. Jones competed in every tournament in the fall and looks to lead the group of underclassmen throughout the 2022 spring season.
"We want to keep improving," Shutte said. "Weston (Jones) has the lowest scoring average in program history. You have Luke who was in a position last year to go to regionals as an individual. Xavier (Marcoux) is so talented and looking to improve from the fall. The rest of the talent and the other freshman are much improved. Expect us to be quite a bit better in the spring. There's a boat load of talent here, so expect us to be better than we were in the fall.
"They are all really close and living in a great environment here," Shutte said. "They all come from different areas of the country with Weston (Jones), Cade (Anderson) and Garrett (Kessler). Weston got an opportunity to play in every tournament in the fall, so I think that has been motivating for the other two to get that same experience. I think all of them have done a great job settling in. It's fun to watch how quickly they mature."
This team's leadership of course comes from Shutte and assistant coach Ryan Rose. Luke Wells and Xavier Marcoux are the team captains and each of them will be an extension of Shutte out on the course for the Scarlet Knights.
"Luke (Wells) is interesting because he transferred in so how quickly he has become a huge part of our family in one year, it feels like he's been here for two or three years," Shutte said. "It speaks to the fact that he's already a captain and how hard he's worked. Xavier (Marcoux) feels like he's been here for six years, even though he's only been here for three. The captains go back to junior golf days together, so they are really similar people."
One quote from each player heading into the season
Jack Doherty – Senior (Dublin, Ireland)
On being a leader of this year's team:
"I think if you look at our team it is definitely Coach Shutte's most talented roster. It's our main goal to reach NCAA regionals this year. I think we have the depth and talent to do that. A lot of my goals are team-orientated. It is doing everything I can to leave a lasting impression on this talented team."
Luke Wells – Junior Captain (Springfield, Ohio)
On leading the team in 2022:
"It's super exciting. Our freshmen have a lot of potential and I just feel like with good guidance we can do really well, get to regionals and have a lot of success this year. I think more of my goals are team oriented, but First-Team All Big Ten would be huge."
Brendan Hansen – Junior (Spring Lake, New Jersey)
On expectations for the team this year:
"This is the most talent team we have had since I have been here. There is a lot of depth we just have to practice well and pull it together in the tournaments."
Xavier Marcoux – Junior Captain (Concord, Massachusetts)
On being a leader this season:
"The fall was a big learning experience with a lot of young freshmen and guys who haven't been in the lineup as much. I want to get them ready to go for the Spring. If we get a couple of wins we can get ourselves into regionals and those are the expectations we have set for ourselves."
Rhett Sellers – Sophomore (Longview, Texas)
On differences from this year compared to last:
"We have three freshmen this year and a lot of talent. I am hoping we can put them to good use and have a great spring. We didn't make our mark in the Big Ten last year. We definitely think we can win, so that is the main goal."
Cade Anderson – Freshman (Scottsdale, Arizona)
On being a freshman with Rutgers men's golf:
"I am just trying to get used to the environment as it's certainly a new level of golf. I think I am making some new improvements heading into the spring season. I think I have made some strides in the past couple of months. I think playing and getting some top finishes, while seeing the team excel are my goals this year."
Garrett Kessler – Freshman (North Caldwell, New Jersey)
On improving for the team:
"Last season I didn't play in any tournaments, and I worked my butt off to put myself in a good spot to play this semester. I think I improved my swing and I just want to play well, be a part of the team and put us in some good spots to help us win."
Weston Jones – Freshman (Sudberry, Massachusetts)
On a successful fall season heading into spring:
"The fall season was great. I just brought a mindset as they are all just golf tournaments and tried to make it as indifferent as I could. I gained some momentum. I think we are really hitting our stride. We had a good offseason. We are a super young team, so we have to figure out our team. We have high expectations for this spring."
Head Coach Rob Shutte is excited to get his team back on the course as his roster looks to contend for a Big Ten championship in 2022.
"We want to win the Big Ten Championship, Shutte said. "I don't think we try to shy away. We are building towards that; we've improved in the Big Ten standings. It's been a few years in a row now where we have finished in the middle of the pack in the Big Ten. Golf is certainly a process sport. If we stick with the process hopefully, we are in the mix and improve every year."
Rutgers has four upperclassmen on the roster in senior Jack Doherty, junior Brendan Hansen, junior Luke Wells and junior Xavier Marcoux.
"The leadership is really great," Shutte said. "The leadership with Xavier and Luke has created really good chemistry from the captains all the way through. The biggest difference from year's past is that we are so young. We have eight guys and three freshmen. Half of our team is learning how to go to class for the first time. We are super young and have some great leadership from the captains."
Freshmen Cade Anderson, Weston Jones, Garrett Kessler and sophomore Rhett Sellers round out the roster. Jones competed in every tournament in the fall and looks to lead the group of underclassmen throughout the 2022 spring season.
"We want to keep improving," Shutte said. "Weston (Jones) has the lowest scoring average in program history. You have Luke who was in a position last year to go to regionals as an individual. Xavier (Marcoux) is so talented and looking to improve from the fall. The rest of the talent and the other freshman are much improved. Expect us to be quite a bit better in the spring. There's a boat load of talent here, so expect us to be better than we were in the fall.
"They are all really close and living in a great environment here," Shutte said. "They all come from different areas of the country with Weston (Jones), Cade (Anderson) and Garrett (Kessler). Weston got an opportunity to play in every tournament in the fall, so I think that has been motivating for the other two to get that same experience. I think all of them have done a great job settling in. It's fun to watch how quickly they mature."
This team's leadership of course comes from Shutte and assistant coach Ryan Rose. Luke Wells and Xavier Marcoux are the team captains and each of them will be an extension of Shutte out on the course for the Scarlet Knights.
"Luke (Wells) is interesting because he transferred in so how quickly he has become a huge part of our family in one year, it feels like he's been here for two or three years," Shutte said. "It speaks to the fact that he's already a captain and how hard he's worked. Xavier (Marcoux) feels like he's been here for six years, even though he's only been here for three. The captains go back to junior golf days together, so they are really similar people."
One quote from each player heading into the season
Jack Doherty – Senior (Dublin, Ireland)
On being a leader of this year's team:
"I think if you look at our team it is definitely Coach Shutte's most talented roster. It's our main goal to reach NCAA regionals this year. I think we have the depth and talent to do that. A lot of my goals are team-orientated. It is doing everything I can to leave a lasting impression on this talented team."
Luke Wells – Junior Captain (Springfield, Ohio)
On leading the team in 2022:
"It's super exciting. Our freshmen have a lot of potential and I just feel like with good guidance we can do really well, get to regionals and have a lot of success this year. I think more of my goals are team oriented, but First-Team All Big Ten would be huge."
Brendan Hansen – Junior (Spring Lake, New Jersey)
On expectations for the team this year:
"This is the most talent team we have had since I have been here. There is a lot of depth we just have to practice well and pull it together in the tournaments."
Xavier Marcoux – Junior Captain (Concord, Massachusetts)
On being a leader this season:
"The fall was a big learning experience with a lot of young freshmen and guys who haven't been in the lineup as much. I want to get them ready to go for the Spring. If we get a couple of wins we can get ourselves into regionals and those are the expectations we have set for ourselves."
Rhett Sellers – Sophomore (Longview, Texas)
On differences from this year compared to last:
"We have three freshmen this year and a lot of talent. I am hoping we can put them to good use and have a great spring. We didn't make our mark in the Big Ten last year. We definitely think we can win, so that is the main goal."
Cade Anderson – Freshman (Scottsdale, Arizona)
On being a freshman with Rutgers men's golf:
"I am just trying to get used to the environment as it's certainly a new level of golf. I think I am making some new improvements heading into the spring season. I think I have made some strides in the past couple of months. I think playing and getting some top finishes, while seeing the team excel are my goals this year."
Garrett Kessler – Freshman (North Caldwell, New Jersey)
On improving for the team:
"Last season I didn't play in any tournaments, and I worked my butt off to put myself in a good spot to play this semester. I think I improved my swing and I just want to play well, be a part of the team and put us in some good spots to help us win."
Weston Jones – Freshman (Sudberry, Massachusetts)
On a successful fall season heading into spring:
"The fall season was great. I just brought a mindset as they are all just golf tournaments and tried to make it as indifferent as I could. I gained some momentum. I think we are really hitting our stride. We had a good offseason. We are a super young team, so we have to figure out our team. We have high expectations for this spring."
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