SELINSGROVE, Pa. – Hugh Leahy III and Chris Scagliotti have won three of the last four Middle Atlantic Conference individual titles while the Crusaders have dominated the conference. But they both graduated last spring.

Nonetheless, 13th-year head coach Don Harnum said this team is better than last year’s squad. “We are much more consistent, much more competitive and have much more depth to the lineup,” he said. “If we find a solid fifth player this year I will be surprised if we shoot over 320 again.

“There are a couple of solid teams in the conference, but I don’t think there is anyone that will break 320. You never know ... but I will surprised if we do not win another conference championship.”

Even with a lineup that is projected to include two sophomores and a freshman, an eighth consecutive MAC title and the team’s fifth trip to the NCAA D-III Championship in seven years are on the team’s list of goals.

After the team’s best fall season ever under Harnum, the team is ranked No. 2 in the Middle Atlantic Region behind Allegheny. The top-three teams from the region receive automatic bids to nationals. Harnum said The College of New Jersey and Wesley (Del.) will give the Crusaders a challenge for the automatic bids to nationals.

In the fall the Crusaders had three all-time bests. It was the first time they won three of five tournaments. The team also shot its all-time lowest score on a par-71 course (302), and had the lowest stroke average of any fall team (78.6).

“It sets us up really well so far because every year we have made the NCAA tournament we have had to play well in the spring to get a spot,” Harnum said. “Now after the fall we don’t have to play great and come from behind.”

Leading the way for the team in the No. 1 spot will be senior co-captain Ryan Franks (Huntington, Pa./Huntington H.S.). In his first three years, Franks has played 42 rounds of spring golf with a remarkable 78.9 stroke average while never finishing lower than fifth at MACs. His stroke average is the fourth-best in school history.

After spending the fall of 2000 abroad, Franks returned stateside to not only finish third at championships with a 54-hole score of 238, but also win the team's Low Stroke Average Award for the second-consecutive year.

“I know he is extremely motivated, he had an awfully good fall and he has become much more consistent in his good play,” Harnum said of Franks, who averaged 74 in four fall rounds. “I would not be surprised to see him win a conference individual title.”

Highly touted freshman Matt Hubbard (South Windsor, Conn./South Windsor H.S.) secured the team's No. 2 spot with a 77.5 average in the fall. The third spot goes to surprise sophomore John Krumpotich (New Market, Md./Linganore H.S.) who averaged 76.5 in the fall after shooting 83 in his rookie spring.

“He decided he was going to become a golfer as opposed to just playing golf,” Harnum said. “He has gotten his long game under control. He has a long game that is terribly long, but it can get in him terrible trouble.”

Sophomore Buddy Yarger (Paxinos, Pa./Northumberland Christian School) comes off a strong freshman year where he averaged 80.9 to fill in the No. 4 spot.

The fifth spot will be up in the air, but junior Ryan Reid (Chambersburg, Pa./Chambersburg H.S.), who finished fourth in the MAC last year is one of the frontrunners. Sophomore Will Holt (Glen Mills, Pa./Archmere Academy), sophomore Pat Fitzgerald (Greensburg, Pa./Greensburg Salem H.S.) and freshman Jason Herrold (Paxtonville, Pa./Middleburg H.S.) who just came out in the spring will challenge Reid for the last starting spot.

Harnum said that senior co-captain Neil Crowell (York, Pa./West York H.S.), though not likely to be a factor in matches this spring, has provided invaluable leadership along with Franks.