WVU Tech golf continues to grow under Goosman
Aug. 31—The growth of the entire WVU Tech athletic department is always at the forefront of athletic director Kenny Howell's mind.
As Garrett Goosman set forth to do the same for the Golden Bears golf program, he no doubt benefited from Howell's extensive background in the sport.
"When I first came in, there was three golfers on the team," said Goosman, who took over the program in Montgomery in 2013. "So, not an ideal situation. We went to tournaments (but) they played as individuals, and had fun. You've got to have at least four golfers to have a team, preferably five.
"We made the best of that year, then me and Kenny had a heart-to-heart (talk) in the offseason. I said if we're going to do this, I want to do it the right way. What do I have to do to put a little bit of money into the budget, recruiting, those types of things?"
Tech was about to join the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (now the River States Conference), so Goosman knew an effort to improve was necessary.
In Howell, he found an understanding ear. Howell was a four-year golf letterman at Salem International and he himself was once the golf coach at Tech.
So with Howell's blessing, Goosman went to work. He was able to double the roster in his second year, and in year three added nine more, largely through the international route.
Since then, the roster has held steady at a level that has allowed the Golden Bears to be competitive.
"Ever since then it's been between 10 and 15 guys the last six years or so," Goosman said. "Great numbers for us. Kenny wants me to have about 15 guys and I've got 15 this year. That's a good number for us."
The Golden Bears have progressed each year, including last spring's program-best fourth place finish at the River States Conference Tournament that included a four-spot jump on the final day.
The fall season is set to open Monday, Sept. 12, with a two-day tournament at Bluefield (Va.) University. Goosman said he will be able to bring all 15 golfers, meaning Tech will have three teams entered.
"I'm excited for that to kind of see where everybody is at," Goosman said. "That'll be a good indicator of how the fall is going to go for us and see how much competition there is between the one through five spots on the normal travel roster."
Most times he will only take five to tournaments. He determines which five by weekly qualifiers at practice, which is a large improvement from where the program was when he took over.
"So there's going to be 10 guys that are disappointed or unhappy about (not) playing but don't like the standard answer: You've got to play better," said Goosman, a Gauley Bridge native whose dad Chuck was the head football coach at Gauley Bridge High School. "If you want to play, you've got to play a little better."
Goosman has a mix of veterans and new players to contend for those weekly spots.
Many of the golfers are international, including key contributors to last year's team such as Manuel Fumento and Philip Rothoff. Among the newcomers is a nice pickup in Herbert Hoover graduate Bryson Beaver, whose name should sound familiar to area high school golf fans. He won the Class AA Region 3 title last year competing against the likes of Shady Spring and Westside, then won the state championship a week later.
Tech will host the Golden Bear Classic Oct. 3-4 on the Cobb Course at The Resort at Glade Springs.
One sign of an improving program is the River States Conference's decision to name Tech as the host team for its tournament in 2023-24 and 2024-25.
"It'll be good for us and to show off southern West Virginia and what we have to offer," Goosman said.
Email: gfauber@register-herald.com; follow on Twitter @gfauber5
