New faces ready to hit the course in 2024

By Nathaniel Underwood

The 2024 Colby golf team has plenty of newcomers to the squad, doubling the size of the 2023 team despite half the prior year’s team having graduated. The Hornets will also be under new management this season, with head coach Logan Rosemeyer and coach Matt Cihlar taking over the reigns from longtime coach Brandon Butkus.

After Butkus stepped down, the fact that the golf team might not have a squad in 2024 seemed like a very real possibility. With no other members on the coaching staff to take over and only a handful of potential returning members, the way forward was murky at best. However, when one of the players from last season approached Rosemeyer asking him to coach so that the team could continue, he stepped into the role.

It will be a season full of learning, both for the new coaching staff and the athletes. Most have not played competitively, though many have some experience on the course, if in a more casual setting.

Luckily for the Hornets, a few JV competitions to start out the season will help them come into form and figure out a starting lineup once the varsity season gets into full swing. Decent mid-April weather has allotted the Colby golfers a bit more time outside than in prior seasons and with the especially instructive JV meets not being canceled, they will have more opportunities to work around those early season challenges.

Returning for the Hornets are Jeremiah Bridger and Zander Engel, while the rest of the roster will be filled out with newcomers.

Brody Viegut, Gavin Voss, Braiden Johnson, Ivan Haemer, Hunter Reynolds and Jacob Hoppe are all new to the team this year and Rosemeyer expects them to be vying for the five varsity spots this year.

Making adjustments from just going golfing with friends to the more competitive scene will be the primary hurdle for many of the athletes early on.

The Colby team will open their varsity schedule this week Thursday, April 18 with a trip to Black River Golf Course in Medford, where they will face off against five other schools. They will tee off in their first meet at 4:00 p.m.

2024 COLBY GOLF - The 2024 Colby boys golf team, pictured above starting in the back row left to right, are Jeremiah Bridger, Zander Engel, Gavin Voss, Jacob Hoppe and Ivan Haemer. In the middle row, left to right are coach Matt Cihlar, Carter Hill, Braiden Johnson, and coach Logan Rosemeyer. In the front row, left to right are Brighton Pogodzinski, Brody Viegut and Hunter Reynolds.

STAFF PHOTO/NATHANIEL UNDERWOOD