A solid second-day performance propelled Wabash to fourth place at the 2006 North Coast Athletic Conference Golf Tournament. The two-day, 54-hole tourney was held at Windy Knoll Golf Club in Springfield, Ohio.
The Little Giants were fifth after the first day of competition. Teams played 27 holes Friday and 27 Saturday. Wabash finished with a total of 320 strokes through 18 holes in the opening round, then shot 157 for their final nine holes Friday. Saturday the team opened play with a 159 to move past Wooster into fourth place in the team standings before finishing the final 18 holes with a 312.
Freshman Jordan Vice led the final attack for the Little Giants. He just missed a place on the All-NCAC Tournament team, finishing in a tie for 12th with a two-day total of 232. Vice shot 82 in the first round before trimming his front nine score to 37 the second time through Friday afternoon. Saturday morning he shot a 38 before cruising to a 75 over the final 18 holes.
Senior Aaron Selby finished with a 238, including an opening round 76 and final round 78. He and junior JP Manalo tied for 20th. Manalo, who earned Second Team All-NCAC honors at last year's tournament, was consistent throughout the weekend, shooting 79, 80, and 79 for his 238.
Senior Elliot Vice concluded his collegiate golf career by tying for 23rd place with a two-day total of 240 (83-77-80). Bryan Arnold finished with a 254 (84-89-81).
The fourth place finish was the best in Wabash history at the NCAC Championship event. The Little Giants finished fifth in 2004 and were sixth on three different occasions since joining the league in 1999.
Allegheny ended Ohio Wesleyan's four-year reign as conference champion. The Gators took the team title with a total of 895 strokes. OWU was second (900) followed by Wittenberg in third (922). Wabash (948), Wooster (953), Denison (955), Kenyon (1,009), Hiram (1,023), and Oberlin (1,093) rounded out the team scoring.
"I'm pleased with our improvement," said head coach Mac Petty after Saturday's scores were posted. "We took a good approach as a team going into this tournament. We were behind Wooster at their tournament just three weeks ago, and finished just behind Denison in tha tournament. Last weekend at Ohio Wesleyan we trailed Wooster by 15 strokes. To make up that kind of ground and take fourth at the conference meet is a good sign of where Wabash golf is headed."