Walach played 50 rounds as a Muhlenberg golfer, averaging 82.7 strokes. He shot in the 70s 15 times.

The Muhlenberg men’s golf team began what it hopes will be a return to prominence in the Centennial Conference in 2006.

The Mules, who won the CC title in 2004 but slipped to seventh place last year, improved two places to fifth and were just two strokes behind fourth-place Swarthmore.

Two newcomers gave the team much reason for optimism. Freshman Bill Snow was the team’s top finisher at the CC Championships, coming in ninth, and averaged 82.3 strokes per round for the year. He had six rounds in the 70s, including a team-season-low 73 at the Franklin & Marshall Fall Invitational. Sophomore transfer Garrett Carpenter led Muhlenberg with an 82.1 average, tying for second with a 74 at the New York University Invitational.

The two new players joined three seniors – Chris Walach, Brian Farrelly and Tim Johnston – in the Mules’ starting five. Walach had the team’s low round (a 79 on the first day) at the CC Championships, Farrelly improved his average from last year by more than two strokes, and Johnston shot a career-best 79 at the McDaniel Spring Invitational.

Muhlenberg changed its scheduling philosophy for the 2005-06 year, with three two-day invitationals and one three-day competition among its 11 tournaments. The Mules finished second at their own tournament and tied for fourth at F&M in the fall.