The Binghamton University golf team is preparing for a four-hour flight to play in the Weber State Purple and Red Invitational at Layton, Utah, this Sunday. Monday will be the Bearcats’ first trip into Big Sky country, thanks to their arrival in the new America Sky Conference. Senior captain Zach Vinal believes this is just the first of many positive things to come for the team in the upcoming months.

‘At first I felt a little jealous being that I’m a senior and they just made this change now, so freshmen like Jake Katz and Mike Surdey will get to experience this for years to come,’ Vinal said. ‘It’s a big opportunity for these guys and for our whole team, traveling to Utah, and the fact that the athletic department chose to make this huge move on our part shows a huge commitment from them.’

Thus far, the Bearcats have experienced a dramatically higher quality of competition from their conference rivals because of their overall higher national team rankings. But to Vinal, this should only serve to fire up the team more and motivate them to work harder.

‘I would much rather play with the best competition out there all the time because ultimately that’s how you become better players,’ he said. ‘Personally, I’m a lot more focused and on my game when I know I’m playing with the best. There is a lot of pressure on how we execute on the course, but there really is no reason to feel intimidated because as athletes, this is exactly what we want.’

Since the move to the new conference, the Bearcats have been inconsistent with their scores, with both rounds being shot in the low 70s and in the 80s, but to Vinal, this is only an introductory phase for the team, and he expects the team to gel and become more consistent as the season progresses.

‘The bottom line is, we win together and lose together as a team,’ he said. ‘We will have several bumps in the road and some downfalls as well as successes, but I am going to do my job every single week and I expect nothing less from the rest of my teammates. This year I’m playing with guys two and three years younger than me, but I believe in them 100 percent.’

Being a co-captain and a senior, this year marks the chance for Vinal to step up and fill that leadership role that recent graduate Jeff Wolniewicz left behind. The players will look to him to lead the team through all the traveling that will be required this year, starting with this weekend’s tournament in Utah and in propelling them to the NCAAs.

‘I feel that team chemistry is the most important aspect of any team in any sport,’ Vinal said. ‘I want to play well myself and I hope to bring out the best from each of my teammates. Through my whole life I’ve always wanted the spotlight because I feel that brings out the best in me, but I hope everyone else on this team will want that spotlight also because that will only make them better players. I just hope I can set a good example for the guys and they know they can come to me with any problems they may have, sort of like an older-younger brother relationship.’

Correction: In the first round of last week’s tournament in Bolton, Mass., freshman Jake Katz shot a 1-under par 71. His score was previously incorrectly stated.