SFU Men Hope Storybook Finish To Last Season Is Only The Beginning
SFU Red Leafs Golf Coach Matthew Steinbach - Image Credit Bryan Outram/BC Golf
By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf
There was a time not that long ago when Simon Fraser University golf coach Matthew Steinbach would have been delighted to have his men’s team inside the top 25 of the NCAA Division II pre-season rankings.
But when this season’s rankings were recently released with the SFU men tied for 23rd, Steinbach couldn’t help feeling like his team wasn’t getting the respect it deserved.
“There’s a belief within the program that we belong in the top 10 on the national stage,” Steinbach said in an interview. “I was disappointed with that (ranking) and we have a little chip on our shoulder because of it. Sometimes I think we get neglected as the only Canadian school in the NCAA.”
The 2022-23 campaign was something of a storybook season for the SFU men. They played their way into the national championship tourney for the first time since 2015 and once there were one of eight teams to advance to the match play portion of the tournament.
That result has created plenty of optimism about the coming season, which for the men starts Sept. 22-23 at the Saint Martin’s University Invitational at The Home Course in Lacey, Wash. Of course, there are holes to fill, as there always are for college teams. SFU lost seniors Aidan Goodfellow and Jordan Bean, their two leaders from last season’s team. “You certainly can’t replace players like that,” Steinbach said. “It is significant.”
Image Credit Shawn Toner
The SFU Men's Team Took A Celebratory Dunk After Winning The GNAC Championship At Coeur D'Alene, Idaho In April
However, Steinbach is confident that returning players like Ryan Hodgins, Michael Crisologo and Bailey Bjornson can fill that leadership void. “The good news for us is that we have a lot of guys who were on the national (tournament) team come back,” Steinbach said.
“Bailey Bjornson will be our captain this year. Even though he is only in his third year, he is definitely the one the guys look up to and follow. And with big personalities like Aidan and Jordan leaving, it has given space to guys like Michael Crisologo and Ryan Hodgins, two of our older guys. They are leaders in their own right, so it has been easy for them to step in and fill that spot.”
Steinbach also believes he has two incoming freshmen in Surrey’s Justin Bjornson — Bailey’s younger brother — and Brendan O’Brien of Victoria who can step in and contribute in a significant way this season. “They are ready to compete at the college level already,” Steinbach said. “They should be challenging for a (playing) spot. I don’t want to be super optimistic but I think we are as strong on paper right now as we were last year.”
Image Credit GNAC
Coach 'Steiny ' Also Led The SFU Women's Squad To The GNAC Title
The SFU women’s team is a work in progress but is clearly trending upward. It remains a young team, but Izzy Ferguson, Meera Minhas and Sueah Park all impressed as freshmen last year and have provided a strong foundation for the women’s team.
“They are all super competitive,” Steinbach said of his women’s team. “Breaking 300 as a team is kind of like a number in women’s golf. I think we are going to break 300 more times than not this season. I just think from a scoring standpoint they are ready to step up to the plate.”
Claire Dubois of Switzerland and Dana Smith of Campbell River join the Red Leafs as freshmen this season. “From a team standpoint and on paper right now, this is probably the deepest roster we have ever had,” Steinbach said of his women’s squad. “It will be exciting to see where they finish this season next April and May.”
The women begin their season Sept. 18-19 at the Saint Martin’s University Fall Invitational.
CHIP SHOT: New Simon Fraser assistant coach Krysta Schaus joins the team on Oct. 1. . .The SFU women play back-to-back events in Hawaii in late October.