Scottsdale Community College golf coach, Dan Dersam, is in his 9th year at the helm of the Scottsdale men’s and women’s golf programs at SCC.

Dersam also finds time to teach a golf class at the college each semester for beginning and intermediate golfers.

On the men’s side, there are significant changes from last year’s team that made the national championship tournament.

The lone returnee is sophomore Matthew Creighton, who made the All-America team last year. 

Two other freshmen from last year’s team will not be returning this season.

However, they are perfect examples of Dersam’s success here at SCC.

Alex Scarperud received a full golf scholarship to North Dakota State where he will be playing his final three years of college golf and Zachary Reiser, who was profiled here last year, is now playing on the southwest mini-tours in hopes of working his way up to the PGA tour.

The new team (men’s) played their first tournament of the season at their home course, Hillcrest Golf Club in Sun City West on a couple of very windy days, Feb. 3, 4.

The leading scorers were freshman Rayce Mathews at +6 and Sophomore Matt Creighton at +13.

The team finished in sixth place out of eight conference teams.

On the women’s side—last year’s leading scorer Alana Hackett is taking a year off from the golf team but hopes to return next year. Hackett is in the nursing program which requires long hours.

But two freshmen join the two returning sophomores, Jocelynn Adamson and Taylor Berthusen.

The women’s team won their season-opening tournament on January 31 which was hosted by Estrella Mountain CC. They were led by freshman Olivia Serpa who won the individual honors with a 79.

Freshman Sophia Coleman came in seventh.

The women’s second tournament held Feb. 8, 9 was hosted by Chandler-Gilbert Community College at Los Colinas golf club.

Scottsdale’s women’s team came in second place in the competition with Serpa again winning the individual competition—this time in a runaway 19 shots ahead of her nearest competitor.