The Husson College golf team returns to the national stage next week when it competes in the NAIA national championship at Matanzas Woods Golf Course in Palm Coast, Fla.

The Braves, ranked 20th in the nation in the final NAIA poll, rolled through their fall season with an 8-2 mark, setting school and Maine Athletic Conference scoring records along the way.

Maintaining that high level of play was the challenge as they prepared for regional and national competition this spring. The MAC Championship was in October, the Region X Championship on May 1.

“We make the best use of our time,” said senior Corey Pion of Vassalboro. “And [we have] determination.”

Sophomore Shane Ross of Pittsfield said, “We hit a lot of balls at XL Golf [an indoor facility in Hermon].”

That kept their swings in some shape, but it’s different from being outside in the elements.

That’s taken care of in a two-week trip to Florida during spring break in March.

“That really helps. That’s a big trip for us,” said senior Joe Alvarez of Veazie.

Coach Bruce MacGregor sets up the trip.

“They played 14 rounds in 10 days,” said MacGregor.

“We definitely slept well down there,” said Joe Finemore, a sophomore from Augusta.

Pion went to the 2001 nationals as an individual after going to the nationals with the Husson team the year before. He doesn’t hesitate to say which he prefers.

“Team is better than individual,” said Pion. “It’s almost a once-in-a-lifetime thing.”

Alvarez, who transferred to Husson after the University of Maine program was dropped, particularly appreciates the opportunity.

“All we wanted was a chance [to go to nationals],” said Alvarez. “We didn’t think we’d blow people out by 45 shots.”

That was Husson’s margin of victory in the Region X tourney against two New York schools, scoring 604 to Delhi’s 649 and Dominican’s 659.

“We probably would have gotten an at-large bid [anyway],” said MacGregor, based on the Braves’ national ranking, but the Braves think they have something to prove.

“Most everybody else [including Delhi and Dominican] plays in the spring, and we play primarily in the fall,” said MacGregor.

Pion, the team captain, had the low average last fall, 74.4 strokes per round, including a 66 in one tournament. Alvarez averaged 75.3 and was MAC player of the year. Bill Hutchins, a senior from Bangor, averaged 75.8. Ross averaged 76.7, and Finemore averaged 78.3. Each of the five was medalist of at least one tournament.

Team records included 286 on a par-72 course, 285 on a par-70 course, and 582 in the MAC Championship.

“I don’t think we’re at the stage we were at last fall, but after two practice rounds, I think we will be,” said MacGregor.

Some of the team members will go through commencement this morning, then everyone flies out tonight, getting into Florida just after midnight. They play practice rounds Sunday and Monday.