Lenoir-Rhyne Hires Travis Bland As Head Golf Coach
February 10, 2006

Courtesy Lenoir-Rhyne College Sports Information Office

Hickory, N.C. – Neill McGeachy, Lenoir-Rhyne College's Director of Intercollegiate Athletics, announced today the hiring of Travis Bland as the L-R's new Men's and Women's Golf Coach.

Bland takes over for Rick Nichols, who had been coaching on an interim basis for the 2005-06 season, and former Lenoir-Rhyne Head Coach Brian Bailie. Bland will begin duties on March 1, 2006.

Bland comes to Lenoir-Rhyne after serving as a golf professional for the Lake Hickory Country Club where he was known for his local involvement in all levels of golf instruction.

"It is a privilege to have the opportunity to coach Lenoir-Rhyne's collegiate student-athletes, said Bland. "Through my experiences and successes at the collegiate level, I aspire to develop a prominent golf program for both the men's and women's golf teams."

Bland played two years collegiately at N.C.-Wilmington (1997-98) and two years at Catawba Valley Community College (1994-95) where he was named Team Most Valuable Player for both squads as well as NJCAA Division II First-Team and Second-Team All-American honors.

On the professional level, Bland won back-to-back Carolinas PGA Pro-Assistant Championships and lead a four-person team to the National Buick Scramble Finals in Orlando, Florida.

• NJCAA Division II Two-Time All Tournament Team (1994-95)
• NJCAA Division II Medalist – Queens College Invitational (1994)
• Catawba Valley Community College Most Valuable Player (1994-95)
• NJCAA Division II First Team All American (1994)
• NJCAA Division II Second Team All American (1995)
• NCAA Division I Two-Time All Tournament Team (1997-98)
• Wilmington City Amateur Champion (1997)
• NCAA Division I Medalist – CAA Regional Championships (1998)
• NCAA Division I CAA First-Team All-Conference (1998)
• University of North Carolina at Wilmington Most Valuable Player (1997-98)

• 1999 Carolinas PGA Pro-Assistant Champion
• 2000 Carolinas PGA Pro-Assistant Champion
• 2000 National Buick Scramble Finals, Orlando, Fla. (11th Place/160 Teams)