After John Montgomery made history as a freshman by becoming the first Alabama State golfer to participate in the NCAA tournament, coach Gary Grandison had a brief talk with him.
“Western Kentucky was hosting the tournament back in 2009, and I knew they’d earned a bid to host again in 2012,” Grandison said. “So I asked John to help me in making sure our entire team played that course.”
Montgomery, now a senior, and the rest of the Hornets team gave Grandison exactly what he wanted: For the first time in the program’s history, the men’s golf team claimed the SWAC championship to earn a spot in an NCAA regional — the one in Bowling Green on the Western Kentucky course.
Grandison, a Mobile native and graduate of Shaw High, guided the ASU women’s golf team into the NCAA field a year ago.
“This proves that last year was not a fluke,” he said. “Our men’s team was close to advancing the previous three years. A lot of people were not aware of that. Some of our past players paved the way for this year’s team academically and athletically. This team’s attitudes, efforts and talents propelled this championship team.”
The ASU men’s program has a grade-point average of 3.53.
Growing up in the Highpointe community, Grandison, who is an Alabama State graduate, got his golfing start at the Highpointe Golf Club at the age of 13.
Influenced by several members at the club, the 36-year-old said one of his primary supporters remains former Mobile County Emergency Management Agency director Walt Dickerson. Read Full
