The Marshall Men’s Golf team is back in action this weekend hoping to build off a fifth-place finish in its first tournament of the fall, while the Women’s golf team is eager to begin the season. 

 We’ll start with the Men’s team who completed in their first tournament this past weekend. The team finished fifth out of 16 teams at the Eastern Kentucky Intercollegiate this past weekend. Fifth-year senior Noah Mullens led the team, finishing tied for sixth. For Mullens, it was his first top 10 finish as a member of the Herd. “Noah (Mullens) played great this week,” Marshall head coach Matt Grobe said. “It shows you how hard work really pays off, he is a really hard-working kid.”  

Mullens was honored for his stellar play being named Conference USA Men’s Golfer of the Week. He totaled 11 birdies and shot par or better on 45-of-54 holes.  

Following the top 5 finish, Marshall returns home for its second tournament of the fall as it serves as host for the Joe Feaganes Marshall Invitational. 14 teams will travel to Huntington for the invitational, which will be played at Guyan Golf & Country Club. “There is advantages and disadvantages of hosting your own golf tournament,” Coach Grobe said. “The advantage comes from the fact that we are playing at our home golf course, where we play and practice. The guys should have a good feel for the golf course. The disadvantage of it is that I (Coach Grobe) have to run the golf tournament. I can’t be out there shot for shot with the guys helping them, like I was at EKU.” 

The Joe Feaganes Marshall Invitational is a two-day event starting on Monday. 

The Marshall Women’s Golf team begins its 2021-22 season Sunday, when it travels to Williamsburg, Virginia for the William & Mary Fall Invitational. Women’s golf head coach Brooke Burkhammer enters her sixth season with the Thundering Herd. “I look forwarding to getting back to competition,” coach Burkhammer said.  

Marshall lost just one player from last year’s squad in senior Kerri Parks. Graduate student Stormy Randazzo leads the way in experience with seniors Torren Kalaskey and Jackie Schmidt, junior Makena Rauch and sophomore Hanna Shrout. “Their golf swings have gotten better,” coach Burkhammer said. “Their golf games in general have gotten better. Now, I’m just ready for them to take that from qualifying into a tournament into actual competition.” 

The invitational will be played at King’s Mill Resort, the River Course. This is an event that the Herd won back in 2018, that both Randazzo and Schmidt competed in. “It is a beautiful golf course,” Burkhammer said. “We’ve played really well there, and I hope we continue that.” 

The William & Mary Fall Invitational is a 54-hole tournament that will feature 12 teams.