Men’s Golf Honors 2004, 2005, 2006 Teams for Elite Reunion
LEXINGTON, Ky. – For the past three years, the University of Kentucky has honored elite teams of the past and this weekend it was the men’s golf program who welcomed back players from the 2004, 2005 and 2006 squads who produced one of the best three-year stretches in program history.
During the three-year stretch, the Wildcats advanced to the NCAA Championship each season and claimed a Southeastern Conference Championship in 2005.
“What a Saturday we had getting to celebrate the elite success of the 2004-06 men’s golf teams,” head coach Brain Craig said. “We had a great turnout with a bunch of men who are now wonderful husbands and fathers. And, to cap it off, our football team played a phenomenal game against Louisville. A big thank you to Mitch Barnhart for supporting this reunion and Joe Sharpe for the great job of organizing it to perfection.”
UK Athletics recently established a reunion committee as a way to honor great Kentucky teams of the past. The committee was formed to define official parameters of recognition, identify and select deserving teams and coordinate dates and arrangements with specific programs. Input from current head coaches and administrators was also taken into account when developing the standards. Standards for selecting teams each year will include but is not limited to final records, conference championships and postseason finishes.
The 2004 team won the NCAA Regional and moved on to finish eighth nationally in the team’s second appearance in the NCAA Championship under Craig.
The following season, led by All-American and SEC Player of the Year, J.B. Holmes, the Wildcats claimed their only SEC Championship crown in team history. Craig was tabbed the SEC Coach of the Year and was named Regional Coach of the Year as well. The Cats tied for fourth at the NCAA Regional before earning the team’s first top-10 finish in the NCAA Championship when they earned seventh. The 2005 squad also won five regular-season tournament titles.
In 2006, the team was able to fend off the departure of Holmes, and leaned on Matt Kohn, Andy Winnings and Brad Doster to put together an equally impressive year. Kohn and Winnings earned All-America honorable mention accolades, while Doster was an All-SEC second team honoree. The Cats placed fourth at the SEC Championship before claiming a school-record fifth-place finish at the NCAA Championship.
The players from those three teams gathered in Lexington this weekend for events that included a team breakfast and reception at Kentucky Proud Park before heading to watch the Cats knock off Louisville in the Governor’s Cup. The squad was recognized on the field during the first quarter.
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