ACU was named No. 1 in the nation in last week’s release of the Golf World/Nike Golf Division II preseason coaches’ poll.

After last May’s third place finish at the NCAA National Championship Tournament, this year’s team is on track to finish what they started.

Last year’s team won five tournaments, never placed worse than fourth in any given tournament and made the Final Four.

ACU fell to Cal State-Monterey Bay 2-2-1 on a tiebreaker of six strokes in the National Semifinal match.  It was ACU’s best golf season since 1997 and their second appearance in the National Tournament since 2007.

ACU’s golf team has many advantages even after losing coveted seniors Cyril Bouniol (2010 individual national champion and 2011 first team all-American) and Tyler Sheppard (2011 third team all-American). Junior Alex Carpenter acknowledged the effect of their loss.

“Losing those two is definitely something that we’re not too happy with, but their time was up, and they were terrific assets to the this program and making is what it is today,” Alex Carpenter said.

With players like junior first team all-American Alex Carpenter, the Wildcats should find themselves in the national spotlight and in the mix for a national championship.

Carpenter broke the ACU wins record, raking in four as a freshman and adding seven as a sophomore. He was thrilled to hear that the ‘Cats will start this season off at No. 1.

“I was so excited,” Carpenter said. “We fell short at nationals last year, and it’s motivating going into the new season.”

Senior Morgan Johnson was also pleased with the poll’s results, but knows it will take effort to maintain such status.

“In order to keep us at No. 1, everyone will have to work hard on their game, encourage other teammates and remember it’s only a game and to have fun,” Johnson said. “We have to start now if we want to make it to nationals and prepare both mentally and physically”

Carpenter said he sees teamwork as ACU’s biggest strength going into the season.

“We all get along great, and there’s definitely a sense of team chemistry,” Carpenter said. “We work hard, and we push each other.”

Wildcat golf will continue to grow as a program with athletes like Carpenter, Morgan and sophomore Trey Sullivan. Sullivan finished in the top 25 of last year’s national tournament and was named the Lone Star Conference Freshman of the year.

“I expect Trey to have a breakout year,” said Carpenter. “He was really there when we needed him last season.”

Even new team members like Alex Carpenter’s younger brother Luke Carpenter and his classmate Corbin Renner will help the team’s game, Johnson said.

“We have some freshman and transfers that will help round out the team and make a solid push to nationals,” Johnson said.

The Wildcats’ 2011-12 season will take off September 12-13 as ACU hosts their first tournament at the Charles Coody West Texas Intercollegiate at Diamondback Golf Club here in Abilene.