Rebels bring youthful roster into men’s spring season

UNLV men's golf coach Dwaine Knight is usually cautiously optimistic when he enters the season with a young team.

Not this year. With the abundance of talent at his disposal, Knight's excitement is evident heading into the Rebels' spring season opener today in the 54-hole Arizona Invitational at Tucson.

UNLV will start juniors Derek Ernst and Colby Smith, sophomore Kevin Penner, freshman Blake Biddle and one senior, Jeremiah Wooding. Another freshman, Max Kraemer, is expected to compete for a starting spot.

"I think we can have a very good year, even though we've got a fairly young team," Knight said. "I think all of our returning players have improved, and our newcomers have a lot of natural talent."

For the Rebels, who tied for 21st in the NCAA Championships last year, success will largely depend on the consistency of Ernst. When he's on, he's one of the best players in the country.

"Derek finished strong in the fall, and I see a maturity about him now that wasn't there before," Knight said. "If he can be more consistent around the green, he can put up some low numbers. When he's competing for individual championships, the entire team seems to benefit."

Knight said he also hopes Penner picks up where he left off last spring. He emerged late in his freshman year, with ties for 10th place in the PING Cougar Invitational and 16th in the Mountain West Conference Championships.

A hand injury kept Penner out of the final two events of the fall season, but Knight said he is back to 100 percent.

Knight said Biddle gave a good account of himself in the fall, finishing third in the Herb Wimberly Intercollegiate in Las Cruces, N.M., to carry UNLV to a second-place finish.

"I think he can really help us right away," Knight said.

UNLV is part of a 16-team field competing at Arizona National Golf Club and will play 36 holes today, with the final 18 holes scheduled for Tuesday. The Rebels finished seventh in the event last year.

"It's a tight course and a good field, and it's going to test our ability to manage our game," Knight said. "It's a good early test for us, and I'm curious to see how our guys respond."

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913.