Despite the weather, head coach Mike Moran is optimistic that the 2019 John Carroll Men's Golf team is going to have a great season.

"We are actually in a pretty good position," said Moran. "There will be some movement on who plays and who worked the hardest during the winter. Hopefully we put it all together."
 
In the fall of 2018, the Blue Streaks were inconsistent at times, but that inconsistency was not necessarily a bad thing. Breaking away from four finishes of placing fourth or worse, the Blue Streaks showed their capabilities of being one of the best teams in Ohio.
 
Those capabilities were well on display at the Ohio Athletic Conference Fall Championship, where they claimed their first victory since 2010. The Blue Streaks unseated the Otterbein Cardinals from an eight-year streak of claiming first place in the OAC.
 
'We were happy with the way we played on that given day but we are also realistic ... That was a shortened day because of weather," said Moran. "We are not throwing champagne parties."
 
In addition to their showing at the OAC championship, JCU's "A" team featuring senior Mike Furey, sophomores Nolan Laughlin and Sean O'Grady, and freshman Michael Schnur won the John DiCillo Tournament.
 
Laughlin, who collected OAC Golfer of the Week honors once in the fall as well as freshman Ben Gleichauf headline this year's squad which features plenty of talent. Like Laughlin, Gleichauf also garnered OAC Golfer of the Week honors.
 
Gleichauf separated himself from the pack early in his freshman year, as he was the only golfer to notch a first place finish in the fall; He did so by placing first individually in the OAC Fall Preview. Moran is impressed with the improvements Gleichauif has made since his freshman year.
 
"He came in here like any freshman," said Moran. "Getting used to the dorm. New classes, new friends, everything like that. I think once he got comfortable, his game kicked in. We are hoping for some big things out of him. He has demonstrated to us that he can go low on a given day. That is important in the game of golf."
 
Statistically speaking, Gleichauf has the top average (75.43) per round and has a top five and top 10 finish last fall to supplement his victory in the OAC Fall Preview. Schnur is not far behind (76.15) and he also has a top five finish and three top 10 finishes. 
 
The depth runs deep for the Blue and Gold, as Furey and O'Grady each have a top five finish and two top 10 finishes individually in the fall.

Mike Moran also mentioned D.J. Smith as a key member of the JCU men's golf program. The senior shot the best score for the Blue and Gold at the Mount Union Fall invitational.

Rounding out a profound party is Laughlin, seniors Jack Javorsky and Greg Moran and sophomore Joseph Tomczak -- all of whom registered top ten finishes. Javorsky played the best round of the fall season among them, finishing tied for second in the DiCillo Tournament with his 74 stroke score.
 
"[Greg] Moran and Javorsky have been good representatives of the University. They finished high in almost all of the OAC tournaments," said Mike Moran.
 
The Blue Streaks have already drove their way into the spring season, as they had an unscored round over spring break against Georgia Military College. Last weekend, they took part in the Mount St. Joseph Invitational where they placed eighth and tied for seventh respectively of 13 teams.
 
Coach Moran was happy with the way the season started out

I am pretty happy, especially with looking at the level of competition," said Moran. "The guys demonstrated they can play shot by shot against some of the better teams in the region. That was our first match of competition. Looking at the teams, we are the team from the north .. from the Arctic. The schools in that tournament are good schools. They play in nationals."
 
From day one to day two at Mount St, Joseph, the Blue Streaks saw an 18 stroke improvement as a team. O'Grady's tied for 11th finish was the best among the Blue Streaks.

"He has been stepping up. He is a sophomore. He seems to be coming out of the blocks pretty quick," Moran said.

With many big tournaments looming this spring, Moran knows the best may yet to come for this year's squad. 

 "The important things are what happens at the very last turn of the year," said Moran. "We have to get better and play well on that given weekend.I do not think we are the favorites to win it but we are not far off."