A canceled match turns into a canceled season for Lipscomb men’s golf team

A canceled match turns into a canceled season for Lipscomb men’s golf team

By Anica Gilbert, Ben Browning, Riley Hoag and Casey King Lipscomb men’s golf team had a lot of potential before the COVID-19 national emergency ended the season and cut those hopes short. “We were on a trajectory to the postseason,” said coach Will Brewer. “That’s what our goal was at the beginning of August and we had a great shot. “Everyone was coming together and playing well. The team was really gelling.” Brewer said.”The team was stunned as they watched a canceled match turn into a canceled season. The team had high hopes and a promising chance at continuing to the postseason.” Then came COVID-19. “They were very emotional, very shocked and a lot of disbelief,” said coach Brewer. “The best part of the season was before everything got shut down because the team was working hard and pushing each other,” said freshman Gregor Mckenzie. “We had something nice going with the team, where everybody was concerned about each other, and everyone was accountable for what they were doing.” For senior Conner McKay, relationships with his teammates were especially important, he started adding that the talks with his teammates led him to redefine his faith and relationship with God. “This year was different because of the chemistry. I started to grow in my faith and a couple of guys on the team introduced me to the Bible for the first time,” McKay said. “About a month ago I accepted Christ as my Lord and savior.” Despite the ups and downs, the team is continuing to move forward in training for next year’s matches, but with all golf courses being...
Dawson Armstrong has impressive showing in NCAA Regionals

Dawson Armstrong has impressive showing in NCAA Regionals

Lipscomb’s Dawson Armstrong missed nationals by just one stroke at the NCAA men’s golf Chapel Hill regional at the UNC Finley Course. But Armstrong ended with one of the best scores, shooting a seven-below-par 65, tied for second place. Armstrong said he can build off this success into next year. “The idea is that I am going to have a lot of experience,” Armstrong said. “What has happened in the last few months will help me realize what can happen in the future.” Dawson came into the tournament as the only mid-major golfer to finish in the top five. He said being in this position motivated him to finish strong in the NCAA regionals with the best college golfers. “It was neat to compete against some of the best players in the country,” Armstrong said. “I did not feel I had my best game, but it was encouraging to lose to only one person.” According to final rankings for college golf, Armstrong was considered to be the eighth-best freshman. Armstrong said he was impressed with this rating because of the level of competition he has faced while playing golf at a mid-major school. “At a mid-major school that is huge, because I was not playing in the same tournaments they are,” Armstrong said. “It is also the assurance of all the hard work I have put into the game of golf.” Armstrong said he believes he is not far from beating the best players college golf has to offer and is looking to use what he learned from the NCAA regionals as a way to build confidence going into next...
New golf coach brings legacy back to Lipscomb

New golf coach brings legacy back to Lipscomb

Lipscomb men’s golf hired a new coach, Will Brewer, a Lipscomb alum and NAIA Hall of Famer, to bring fresh leadership to the team this season. Coach Brewer is a Lipscomb graduate and was a golfer during college.  Brewer was a three-time NAIA All American, the NAIA National Champion in 1976 and is a member of the NAIA Hall of Fame. The current golfers said they feel they’re benefitting from being coached by a Lipscomb legend. “It’s beneficial for us because he knows what it is like to be in our situation,” said junior golfer Dustin Wilder. “He knows what it takes to succeed at the college level.” Comparing last season to the current season, the golfers said they are excited and anxious for what a new coach with a new plan can bring to the table. “It’ll take a little bit of time for Coach Brewer to really get his system implemented,” said junior golfer Ryan Terry. “As far as the ways a coach can help a team, this year we’ll definitely improve a lot more than last year just because we’ll have someone who can solely devote his time to our team.” In past years, Buddy Harston was the head coach of both the women’s and men’s golf teams. One coach dividing his time equally between two teams can be challenging for the coach as well as the players, Terry said. “It is difficult for one guy to coach two teams,” he said. “Things have been going a lot better just because we have had one coach that has been able to devote himself to just one team,...
Friends of Paul Warren reflect on life, legacy

Friends of Paul Warren reflect on life, legacy

Paul Warren’s friends and coworkers shared their thoughts with Lumination about the loss of an “outstanding individual.” Warren, a 2006 Lipscomb graduate, was killed Thursday morning when his car rear-ended an 18-wheeler on Vietnam Veterans Parkway. The wreck, caused by fog and an icy road, was part of a chain-reaction accident involving more than 50 vehicles on the Korean War Veterans Bridge.  Aaron Flener, a 2005 Lipscomb graduate, was on the golf team and in Tau Phi with Warren. “I was immediately drawn to him because of his joyful nature,” said Flener. “I liked to surround myself with people that didn’t complain, and I was drawn to him because he was so happy.” Warren graduated from Lipscomb with a marketing degree and then worked as a graduate assistant coach for the golf program during the 2006-07 season while pursuing his master’s degree. Flener said Warren was a very talented golfer and guitarist but always maintained a humble attitude along with a great sense of humor. “If I ever wanted to feel good about myself, I would go tell Paul something…he would always laugh,” Flener said. “He would always make you feel like you were hilarious. I don’t think he realized how funny he was to everyone else.” Flener said Warren never spoke ill of people he knew. “He never had anything bad to say about anyone,” Flener said. “I consider myself a pretty good person, but I never heard him say anything bad about anyone. Not even behind their back.” Warren was employed at Volunteer State Bank, where he worked as relationship manager at the Shackle Island branch in...