MCC golfer signs with UNO; Eagles add another

By By Robby Atkinson / staff writer
Feb. 20, 2004
The key to building a strong junior college sports team is to have players good enough to move on to the next level and then to replace them with talented athletes.
Meridian Community College golf coach Lou Hart has that maneuver down pat.
On Thursday at the Damon Fitness Center MCC standout Matthew Shoemaker signed a national letter of intent to play for the University of New Orleans, while Madison Central's Matt Ellis signed to play for Meridian Community College next season.
Ellis has a great track record of golf at Madison Central and brings a long list of accomplishments to the Eagle golf team. In 2003 Ellis was a big part of a great finish for the Madison Central team by capturing the Patrick Farms Invitational title, The Clinton Invitational, and the Big Blue Invitational where Ellis finished as medalist.
Madison Central finished tied for second in the 5A State Championship in his sophomore year and the Jaguars won the state title in 2003. Ellis has also competed in the Woodlands Championship posting a third place finish.
Shoemaker has been one of the biggest workhorses for the golf team at MCC over the past two years and was very excited about moving on to the next level.
During Shoemaker's freshman year, the Eagles ended the regular season ranked 10th nationally and captured three tournament championships. Shoemaker posted his best finish this past fall with a second place showing in the Gulf Coast Holiday Tournament. The University of New Orleans has already signed five All-American players and Shoemaker will join one of the better teams according to Hart.
MCC is currently ranked sixth in the national poll heading into the 2004 spring season.