A small group from Lone Star College System’s Sport Club Conference hit a line drive last month when they advanced to the 10th annual National Collegiate Golf Championship in Las Vegas, Nev., an amateur golf event for university recreational golfers.
 
Scott Straubel, a criminal justice student at Lone Star College-Montgomery, and Charles Truglio, a student at Lone Star College-Kingwood, competed against 48 two-player teams from colleges and universities nationwide.
 
“Overall, we played pretty well,” said Straubel. “We shot a 72, which is about what we normally score. It was an excellent, amazing course, and we had an awesome time.”
 
According to Alan Wright, professor of kinesiology at LSC-Kingwood, whether the students won or lost, it was a great experience.
 
“Sure, it’s competitive, but it’s really a great opportunity for the students to compete and interact with other students from across the nation,” said Wright.

 In order to advance to the championship, Straubel and Truglio placed first in the qualifier event held in October at WindRose Golf Club in Spring where they were required to play from the professional tee boxes.
 
“I can’t describe how fortunate I feel to have had the honor of qualifying for and representing my school at this tournament,” said Truglio.

LSCS was just one of three colleges from Texas to participate in this tournament. (The University of Texas and San Jacinto College were the others.)
 
“We’re very proud to be one of the few community colleges that regularly participate in this national tournament,” said Wright, who has taken team members from LSCS for the past four years.
 
In order to be eligible, students must be enrolled in at least six credit hours and have a 2.0 g.p.a. or higher.
 
“It’s one more way to get students engaged on campus and motivate them to do well academically,” said Wright.

The LSCS Sport Club Conference qualifying event for the national tournament falls under the umbrella of the National Intramural Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA), an organization that provides education, development, and scholarships that foster quality recreational programs. This tournament served as a fundraiser for NIRSA.
 
“Recreational sports have many benefits for students,” said Wright, who started his career in recreational sports thanks to assistance from NIRSA. “They progress better, get better grades, and feel more closely tied in to the campus community.”
 
For more information about the LSCS Sport Club Conference golf tournaments, contact Alan Wright at 281.312.1508, or alan.f.wright@LoneStar.edu.

LSC-Montgomery is located at 3200 College Park Drive, one-half mile west of Interstate 45, between Conroe and The Woodlands. For more information about the college, call 936.273.7000, or visit www.LoneStar.edu/montgomery.
 
With more than 75,000 students in credit classes for fall 2011, and a total enrollment of more than 90,000, Lone Star College System is the largest institution of higher education in the Houston area, and the fastest-growing community college system in Texas. Dr. Richard Carpenter is the chancellor of LSCS, which consists of five colleges including LSC-CyFair, LSC-Kingwood, LSC-Montgomery, LSC-North Harris, and LSC-Tomball, six centers, LSC-University Park, LSC-University Center at Montgomery, LSC-University Center at University Park, Lone Star Corporate College, and LSC-Online. To learn more visit LoneStar.edu.