Special to the News
Published: May 5, 2008

The 16th-ranked Auburn men’s golf team earned a six seed in the 27-team NCAA East Regional to be played at the Council Fire Golf Club in Chattanooga, Tenn., May 17-19. Eight of the nation’s top 25 teams in the Golfweek rankings are in the East Regional.

Auburn is led by first-team All-SEC senior Jay Moseley, who has a 71.40 stroke average, junior All-SEC Glenn Northcutt (72.48), senior Gordon Strother (73.10), senior All-SEC Patton Kizzire (73.26), senior Jamie Bowen (73.73) and senior Steven Groover (74.38).

The Tigers are making their ninth-consecutive Regional appearance and 18th overall in the last 20 years. Auburn has been placed in the East Regional in every appearance other than going to the West Regional in 2005.

“I am very excited about once again competing in postseason play,” said Auburn head coach Mike Griffin. “It is what we expect with our program, and we enjoy competing for championships. We hope to once again advance out of the regionals to the National Championship. We are happy to have the opportunity and having the chance to compete.

“It shows once again the East is absolutely dominant. The SEC and the ACC dominates. Eleven SEC teams made it and Vanderbilt, the only league team not to, had an individual make it in Jon Curran. It is a golf course where we are going to have to go low.”

The East Regional teams in order of seeding include No. 2 Georgia, No. 9 Charlotte, No. 12 South Carolina, No. 14 Duke, No. 13 Chattanooga, No. 16 Auburn, No. 21 East Tennessee State, No. 20 Michigan State, Ole Miss, UAB, Virginia Tech, North Carolina State, Mississippi State, Georgia State, North Florida, Cal-Irvine, Augusta State, SMU, Middle Tennessee State and Coastal Carolina to round out the top 20. Memphis is the 21st-seed followed by Virginia, Western Carolina, Colorado State, New Mexico State, Western Illinois and Jackson State.

The top 10 teams and two individuals not on those teams qualify for the 111th NCAA Men’s Golf Championship at The Kampen Course in West Lafayette, Ind., May 28-31.

Track & Field coaches Clayton, Rolle promoted
Auburn track and field assistant coaches Jerry Clayton and Henry Rolle have both been promoted to assistant head coach, head coach Ralph Spry announced Monday. The change takes effect immediately.

Rolle, in his 11th season at Auburn, coaches the women’s sprinters, jumpers and hurdlers. Clayton, in his 10th season on the Plains, coaches Tiger throwers, high jumpers and multi-event athletes.

The duo have been instrumental in Auburn’s success over the past decade, as the Tiger men’s and women’s programs have combined for 15 top-10 national finishes (indoors and outdoors) during the previous nine seasons, including the 2006 outdoor national championship won by the women’s squad.

“Jerry’s and Henry’s contributions to this program during their time as assistant coaches have been immeasurable,” said Spry. “They truly represent everything that is right in our sport and in this program as well. Our success over the past decade is a result of many things, including their love for Auburn and relentless work ethic.
“I personally cannot thank them enough and it has truly been an honor to work with them, and I look forward to continued success in the future.”

Rolle has coached 16 NCAA Champions and 60 All-Americans in his stint at Auburn. In 2006, his athletes were instrumental in Auburn winning its first track and field national championship. He has coached two NCAA record holders and was honored by the Bahamas Association in 2002 with the Henry Crawford Award for Coach of the Year.

During Clayton’s time at Auburn, Tiger athletes in his events have won eight NCAA individual track and field national championships, 31 individual SEC championships and 55 qualifiers for the NCAA Track and Field Championships have won 36 All-American honors.

In 2007, his athletes won two national championships (Donald Thomas in the indoor high jump and Jacob Dunkleberger in the hammer throw), five SEC Championships (Cory Martin in the weight throw, hammer throw and outdoor shot put, Thomas in the indoor and outdoor high jump) and earned seven All-American honors.

Auburn will host the SEC Outdoor Track and Field Championships from May 15-18 at Hutsell-Rosen Track.