With many returning players and top new recruits, the 2007 Kent State men’s golf team expects to compete for another MAC Championship.

“I’m very excited,” coach Herb Page said. “We have four talented seniors, three good freshmen and many good golfers in between.”

Tom Ballinger, Tommy Wiegand, Jerrod Page and David Markle enter their senior seasons. Junior Peter Ahn, who finished third at the MAC Championships, and sophomore David Ludlow add depth. They will be joined by freshmen Brett Cairns, John Hahn and Jean-Philippe Paiement.

“You would expect the seniors to lead by example,” Page said. “The freshmen may need some time to settle into college life the first few weeks of the season. Experience is not a big factor on the course.”

Although the experience should help with qualifying for the tournaments at the team’s home course, Windmill Lakes Golf Club, it will not determine Page’s lineup

“It’s sort of wide open who will play every week,” Page said. “We have a very competitive team, and it should make the men go out and play hard every week.”

Page said he wasn’t happy with last year’s third place finish in the MAC, so after the tournament he told his players no spot was guaranteed.

The golfers have spent the summer playing in tournaments. Three golfers – Ballinger, Ludlow and Wiegand – finished in the top 11 at Ohio Amateur Golf.

Page hopes Wiegand can bounce back from a tough junior season .

“He had great freshmen and sophomore seasons,” Page said. “He’ll be the first to admit he didn’t play the way he wanted to last year. He worked hard this summer.”

The first tournament is Purdue’s Boilermaker Invitational Sept. 8.

“I’m looking for someone to step up and become the true number one, but that has to happen on its own, I can’t force that,” he said.

Contact sports reporter Jeff Russ at [email protected].