What a difference a year makes.

In the fall of 2008, veteran University of St. Francis men's golf coach Paul Downey was beginning his 14th season with one of the youngest teams he had ever fielded. His only senior had played in just one varsity match and was not a serious candidate for playing time. He had just one junior on that club but that player was coming off a disappointing spring season in his sophomore year.

Downey was looking at a team that would be dominated by sophomores and freshmen and really didn't know how the young players would respond.

But he didn't have to wonder for too long.

The Saints captured their 13th Northern Illinois Intercollegiate Golf Conference title in Downey's 14 years in the fall, squeaking past both Robert Morris and Olivet Nazarene.

The team matured a lot in the fall season and it showed when the squad went back outdoors in the spring. USF slowly improved with each tournament and then went on to win a national tournament qualifying meet (NAIA Midwest Unaffiliated Championship) in Sioux Falls, S.D., and earn the Saints' first team berth in the NAIA Championships in Downey's long and successful tenure.

The young team finished at the bottom of the deep and talented national field but in Downey's eyes, getting to that tournament was the cap to a very successful season.

Downey is hoping that the national tourney experience from last spring and the depth on his talented 2009-10 roster will springboard his team to new heights this coming year.

"This is clearly the deepest team I have had since I came to St. Francis," said Downey who is the longest serving coach in the history of the USF program. "I have 13 young men in the program and realistically, nine or 10 of them could compete for a spot in our top five.

"It will be really interesting to see who ends up at the No. 1 slot when the season comes to an end," added Downey. "Grant Whybark was there a year ago and he had a tremendous freshman season and played very well at the NAIA Championships. But we have guys like Patrick Fitzgerald and Drew Anderson that have played at No. 1 in the past and both are capable of getting there again. We have one newcomer - freshman Martin Hetelle - who will certainly get the attention of the coaches of the teams that we play against this year as well."

Whybark was the Saints' top player as a freshman last year. He posted only the fourth-lowest scoring average on the team in the fall with a mark of 77.8 in eight rounds but caught fire in the spring and led the team with a mark of 77.1 over 15 rounds. He finished the year with a total stroke average of 77.3 and capped off the season with rounds of 74 and 78 on his final two days at the national tournament.

He was named to the North division PING All-Region team by the Golf Coaches Association of America.

Fitzgerald and Anderson, a pair of juniors, shared the No. 1 duties for most of their freshman campaigns two years ago. Both were part of the five-man national tournament team a year ago and both have the potential to challenge Whybark for the top spot on the squad.

Hetelle, who attended Joliet Junior College but did not play collegiate golf a year ago, comes to USF with four years of eligibility remaining. He is a native of nearby Seneca, Ill., and played with and competed against current Saints' teammate Whybark - who hails from Morris - as a prep and in summer amateur competitions.

"Hetelle is my wild card," said Downey. "He has a tremendous golf swing and is a very smart golfer. He will be very consistent and will be a key factor to our team's success this season."

The other two returnees from the fivesome that traveled to Moline for last spring's NAIA tournament are sophomores Steve Wojcik and Kevin Wiatr. Wojcik finished his rookie year with the second-lowest stroke average on the team at 80.1 and played in all but one tournament. Wiatr finished the year on a high note, notching the second-best scoring total on the USF squad in the three rounds at the NAIA Championships. His 77 in USF's third and final round was his second under 80 in the three days at the tourney.

Steve Sourigno is the lone senior on the Saints roster. He has played in numerous tournaments over his first three seasons and is certainly capable of returning to that desired top five group on the team.

Juniors Adam Billmeyer, Brian Komp, James Mulcahy and Tyler Keith all return as well. Billmeyer had a good fall season last year, averaging 77.2 strokes over five total rounds. He shared the low round of the year honors with Fitzgerald and Whybark when he fired a 70 in the St. Francis Fall Classic in September at Inwood Golf Course in Joliet. Komp played only in the fall last year and averaged 80.0 strokes over five rounds. Mulcahy and Keith each played in just one tourney last spring, the USF Spring Invite at Wedgewood Golf Course.

Mike Mysker and Taylor Latz are the other two returning sophomores on the squad. Mysker was a solid contributor as a frosh, playing 14 rounds for USF. He averaged 81.7 strokes per round for the season but did battle some back issues that curtailed his play somewhat. Latz played four competitive rounds in the spring portion of the schedule.

In addition to Hetelle, Downey welcomes one other freshman to his roster in Andrew Buchanan from nearby Minooka High School.

"It is going to be a fun season," said Downey, "and I can't wait to see how it all unfolds. I'm excited about our depth and our talent. I really think that our guys will use that experience gained at nationals last spring and will become better individual players and better tournament players this fall and spring."