It’s swings away for the CSU East Bay men and women’s golf teams as they look to begin their spring season.

In East Bay’s last time out on the green, the Pioneers concluded the Fall season lasting from September 18 through November 2, which saw them compete in five tournaments with fifth-year senior Wesley Davis and freshmen Nick Allen leading the men’s team out on the range. Christina Walker lead the woman’s squad.

Wesley Davis, fifth-year senior from Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, has been described by assistant golf coach Mario Castallenos as “a budding star, and the leader of this team.”

Davis’ leading performance saw him finish just two-over par 218, leading CSUEB to a second place finish in the Sonoma State Men’s Invitational while tying for fifth in individual performances over the Fall.

Davis has been suiting up for the course and has been playing golf since the eighth grade. In  his final year playing golf at the collegiate level, Davis expresses his mixed emotions about his last season on the course for East Bay.

“Entering my last season at East Bay, I’m excited and sad at the same time,” said Davis.

“However, I’m ready for the next stage of my career and I’m taking with me some good memories.”

After graduation, the business administration major will continue to play golf and continue pursuing his dream to play professional golf for the PGA.

Currently, however, Davis is anxious to begin spring season.

“We’ve got a really good group of guys this year that are working harder than any other team that I’ve been with in my five years at East Bay. It should be a good season,” said Davis.

Learning from the example of Wesley Davis, freshmen Nick Allen is taking the reigns of leader of this team for the future of CSUEB.

In his best performance of the fall, Allen led the Pioneers to a 14th place finish, finishing 13-over par 229, and top individual.

Allen, from Dakota Ridge High School, also from Littleton Colorado, has been playing golf since the age of five.

Throughout his life, he has had a great amount of success at the sport, particularly at the high school level where he placed fourth and fifth in the State Golf Tournament for Colorado. In his senior year, he won the State Junior Match play Championship.

“In my first year, there have been a lot of ups, but we need to be more consistent and finish strong at the end of this season,” said Allen.

The Pioneers women’s squad has experienced an equal amount of success heading into its spring season.

“This women’s team is the strongest team we’ve ever had,” said Assistant Coach Mario Castallenos.

“They are a strong group of players, and the only question for us entering the season is if we can all connect at the same time.”

In the fall, East Bay excelled to two seventh place finishes, a fifth place finish, with their best performance coming at the Dennis Rose Invitational where they had an impressive third place finish where the team finished 98-over par 962.

For the women’s squad, Christina Walker has been excelling at the highest level for CSUEB.

The senior from Vallejo has been a solid performer in all four years here at East Bay.

“I hope we finish the way we know we can,” said Walker.

“We had a great fall season and I’m expecting for us to get better in individual play and improve as a team as well.”

Walker is majoring in Communications and after graduation, she looks to enter the PGA Minority Golf Championship, which will be held in May of this year in Florida.

“Right now I am preparing to qualify myself for that tournament and lower my scores so I can get out there and represent East Bay.”

Currently the Lady Pioneers are conditioning for their first tournament of spring season, as they will travel down to Southern California to CSU San Marcos from February 27 to March 1 as they begin the season.

The men’s team will head to CSU San Bernardino also from February 27 to March 1 to kick of their season.

Both squads will return home as CSUEB, will host a tournament from March 6 through 8 at the Hiddenbrooke Golf Course in Vallejo.

In his sixth year at the helm for CSUEB head coach Alan Sue and assistant coach Mario Castallenos, who is a former CSUEB golfer, are ready to lead the Pioneers to a successful season and close out the 2010-11 year on a good note.