While Christopher Newport looks forward to the return of intercollegiate competitions, our friends at TowneBank are partnering with CNUsports.com to spend some time throughout the fall semester looking back at a few of the more memorable moments in the storied history of the athletic department. Over the course of the next three months, the Captains will honor the anniversary of three dozen record-setting accomplishments, championship-clinching victories, and other historic events in order to celebrate the past while preparing for even more great moments in the future.
AT A GLANCE
Rewriting the history books, the Christopher Newport men's golf team polished off a sensational weekend while winning the 54th Annual Virginia State Intercollegiate Championship at the Shenandoah Valley Golf Club on October 14, 2001. In addition to the team title, Chris Kline separated himself on an individual level. Snatching medalist honors, he became the first Captain to win the prestigious event since 1994 while matching the program's lowest 36-hole score with a three-under 141 (69-72). Meanwhile, the entire team finished with a one-over 577, which also established a new school standard.
BACKSTORY
The 2001-02 Christopher Newport golf team was well stocked with battle-tested veterans who had competed in tournaments on the biggest stages. Four members of the squad helped carry the Captains to an appearance in the 2000 NCAA Championships, led by Mike Hart's 25th-place finish at the national tournament.
Along with Hart, veterans Mike Priddy, Mike Little, and Ryan Greer had all earned experience on the 2000 squad, which eventually finished 15th at the championship tournament. That marked the school's finest showing at the title competition since 1996.
Rounding out the school's top standouts, Kline was the youngest of the bunch but already boasted an impressive résumé of his own. He entered his second season looking to construct the perfect follow-up to his dominant debut campaign, which included a freshman-record 67 at the Camp LeJeune Intercollegiate.
Featuring a talented top-five, the Captains opened the year with a second-place showing at the Washington & Lee Fall Invitational before two more top-10 finishes prior to the state championship.
TOURNAMENT RECAP
Entering the 2001 VSGA Intercollegiate, Christopher Newport had not topped the field at the prestigious competition since 1994. Six tournaments had come and gone since Scott Scovil carried the Captains to the 1994 state title on the way to winning the national championship one month later.
Looking to break through against a talented field of challengers, Christopher Newport got off to a fantastic start on the first day of the competition. Kicking things off, Kline dropped a 69, placing him three strokes ahead of the next closest competitor. Not only did his three-under mark separate him from the rest of the field, but it also equaled the second-lowest single-round effort in program history.
Although Kline put some distance between himself and everyone else, his closest competitors were his own teammates. Priddy stood three shots back with a first-round 72, while Greer and Hart were tied for third with matching 73s. Incredibly, after just 18 holes, only one non-Captain was within five strokes of the leader.
On the final day, Greer made a late push and carded a 70, which placed him one-under for the tournament. Meanwhile, Priddy continued his showcase with a second-round 72, finishing at even par for the competition. But Kline was king.
Despite mounting pressure from fellow Captains, Kline was undeterred and prevailed in the end. Matching the second-lowest final-round score at the tournament, the sophomore sensation fired a 72, which locked up medalist honors and capped off his three-under 141. At the time, that two-round total equaled the lowest 36-hole performance in program history, tying his own 141 from the 2001 Camp LeJeune Intercollegiate.
Eventually, the Captains locked up the top four spots on the individual charts as Greer and Priddy followed the champion, while Hart was fourth with a five-over 149 (73-76). Little rounded out the squad with a 10th-place finish after posting a 154 (75-79).
As a team, the Captains finished at one-over par, which easily bested the field. In fact, their one-over effort marked the best performance during a 36-hole tournament in school history, while their total score of 577 remains the second-lowest all-time.
POSTSCRIPT
Their victory at the VSGA Championship set up the Captains for a historic run during the 2001-02 campaign. The squad eventually finished with a 299.8 stroke average over 19 total rounds. That established a school record that stood for nearly two decades until last year's team eclipsed it by four strokes.
After snaring the state championship, the 2001-02 Captains went on to win the Ferrum and Emory Spring Invitationals as well. Their three victories equaled the most in nearly a decade.
On an individual level, Priddy went on to earn first-team All-Conference honors while making his second career appearance at the NCAA Championships in the spring. His 74.6 stroke average during the 2001-02 season remains the seventh-lowest in school history, while Greer's 75.4 mark sits 15th all-time.
As for the state champion, Kline departed Christopher Newport following his historic run. After a two-year showcase in Newport News that saw him rewrite the record books, he transferred to Old Dominion where he helped lead the Monarchs to their first appearance in the NCAA Division I Championships in 2003.
For a full listing of the fall 2020 features published to date, click here.
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