Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Owens growing in leadership role as team’s lone senior
9/13/2019 12:00:00 PM | Men's Golf, BRAA
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — As Middle Tennessee begins its journey for a second straight Conference USA title defense, its roster is filled with underclassmen. That makes the leadership coming from lone senior Tanner Owens a key to this season.
Of the 11 golfers on the Blue Raiders' roster, eight are either freshmen or sophomores, leaving only Owens and juniors Ilari Saulo and Cooper Sears as upperclassmen.
Despite its youth, MT has its eyes set on a third straight C-USA title in the spring. If it reaches that goal, Owens will likely lead the way, both on the scorecard and by example.
"We should be pretty good," he said. "We won conference last year and still didn't play to the best of our abilities. With a couple of new additions and a year under some of our guys' belts, we should be in a good spot."
Owens was no stranger to MT when he transferred from Virginia Tech in the spring of his freshman season. He's from nearby Milton, Tennessee and attended Blackman High School, and his dad, Mark Owens, has worked as associate AD of communications for the Blue Raiders since 1998, the same year Tanner was born.
"I've been walking around here since I was little," Tanner Owens said. "I couldn't have asked for more than to come back here and do what we've done. My dad working here and getting to see me has been pretty special, too. That's not something a lot of people get the chance to do."
He made an immediate impact after transferring, cracking the Raiders' lineup in all five tournaments in the fall of 2017 and three more in the spring of 2018. An injury limited his playing time, though, and MT won a conference title without him in the lineup.
As the spring turned to summer, a healthy Owens' game started to come full circle, especially when new head coach Mark McEntire took over the program in July after Brennan Webb left for Tennessee.
"Coach Mac's awesome," Owens said. "He kind of lets you do your own thing … and he likes to keep it pretty relaxed. I think that allows us to relax and play a little better."
Owens became just the 12th Blue Raider ever to qualify for the U.S. Amateur, played at the famed Pebble Beach, last summer. He then carried his momentum into a fantastic fall, leading the team in stroke average (72.3) and finishing inside the top 15 in two of three tournaments.
As the calendar turned to the spring semester, Owens was in position to help lead Middle Tennessee to its second straight conference title. He was one of only two Raiders to win both his matches in the C-USA Championship, and earned All-C-USA Second Team honors with a 72.4 stroke average, team-high 14 rounds of par or better and seven top 20 finishes.
He followed with a great showing in the NCAA Myrtle Beach Regional, finishing as the top Blue Raider, tied for 20th in a field of 75 of the nation's top college golfers.
"[The run] kind of started in the summer when I went to the U.S. Amateur, realizing I could play with the best of the best," Owens said. "Before, I was worried about impressing my dad and people around here because I'm from here, but I finally just kind of got out of my own way."
Along with earning all-conference honors, Owens was named a C-USA Academic Medal winner, a member of the C-USA All-Academic Team and an All-American Scholar.
He's quite the student, holding a 3.9 GPA in Middle Tennessee's Healthcare Administration program. The program was recently created, and Owens, who wants to one day be the CEO of a hospital, is the only MT student-athlete currently enrolled.
"It's not a very well-known major, and most of it is online," he said. "I really don't physically go to class, I have four online this semester. It can be tough to keep up with."
Being an outstanding student is just part of the leadership example Owens is trying to set this year for his young teammates.
"I'm just making sure everybody is doing the right thing — going to practice on time, going to class and getting your schoolwork done," he said. "It's really just making sure everyone is held accountable for their actions … just making sure everyone is doing what they're supposed to do."
If his teammates follow his example, it could be another special year for the Blue Raiders and their lone senior. Representing his hometown university is a dream come true for Owens, and completing his eligibility with a third C-USA crown would only make it sweeter.
Josh Vardaman is the staff writer for goblueraiders.com. Follow him on Twitter @J_Vardaman and also follow @MTAthletics for more on the Blue Raiders.
Of the 11 golfers on the Blue Raiders' roster, eight are either freshmen or sophomores, leaving only Owens and juniors Ilari Saulo and Cooper Sears as upperclassmen.
Despite its youth, MT has its eyes set on a third straight C-USA title in the spring. If it reaches that goal, Owens will likely lead the way, both on the scorecard and by example.
"We should be pretty good," he said. "We won conference last year and still didn't play to the best of our abilities. With a couple of new additions and a year under some of our guys' belts, we should be in a good spot."
Owens was no stranger to MT when he transferred from Virginia Tech in the spring of his freshman season. He's from nearby Milton, Tennessee and attended Blackman High School, and his dad, Mark Owens, has worked as associate AD of communications for the Blue Raiders since 1998, the same year Tanner was born.
"I've been walking around here since I was little," Tanner Owens said. "I couldn't have asked for more than to come back here and do what we've done. My dad working here and getting to see me has been pretty special, too. That's not something a lot of people get the chance to do."
He made an immediate impact after transferring, cracking the Raiders' lineup in all five tournaments in the fall of 2017 and three more in the spring of 2018. An injury limited his playing time, though, and MT won a conference title without him in the lineup.
As the spring turned to summer, a healthy Owens' game started to come full circle, especially when new head coach Mark McEntire took over the program in July after Brennan Webb left for Tennessee.
"Coach Mac's awesome," Owens said. "He kind of lets you do your own thing … and he likes to keep it pretty relaxed. I think that allows us to relax and play a little better."
Owens became just the 12th Blue Raider ever to qualify for the U.S. Amateur, played at the famed Pebble Beach, last summer. He then carried his momentum into a fantastic fall, leading the team in stroke average (72.3) and finishing inside the top 15 in two of three tournaments.
As the calendar turned to the spring semester, Owens was in position to help lead Middle Tennessee to its second straight conference title. He was one of only two Raiders to win both his matches in the C-USA Championship, and earned All-C-USA Second Team honors with a 72.4 stroke average, team-high 14 rounds of par or better and seven top 20 finishes.
He followed with a great showing in the NCAA Myrtle Beach Regional, finishing as the top Blue Raider, tied for 20th in a field of 75 of the nation's top college golfers.
"[The run] kind of started in the summer when I went to the U.S. Amateur, realizing I could play with the best of the best," Owens said. "Before, I was worried about impressing my dad and people around here because I'm from here, but I finally just kind of got out of my own way."
Along with earning all-conference honors, Owens was named a C-USA Academic Medal winner, a member of the C-USA All-Academic Team and an All-American Scholar.
He's quite the student, holding a 3.9 GPA in Middle Tennessee's Healthcare Administration program. The program was recently created, and Owens, who wants to one day be the CEO of a hospital, is the only MT student-athlete currently enrolled.
"It's not a very well-known major, and most of it is online," he said. "I really don't physically go to class, I have four online this semester. It can be tough to keep up with."
Being an outstanding student is just part of the leadership example Owens is trying to set this year for his young teammates.
"I'm just making sure everybody is doing the right thing — going to practice on time, going to class and getting your schoolwork done," he said. "It's really just making sure everyone is held accountable for their actions … just making sure everyone is doing what they're supposed to do."
If his teammates follow his example, it could be another special year for the Blue Raiders and their lone senior. Representing his hometown university is a dream come true for Owens, and completing his eligibility with a third C-USA crown would only make it sweeter.
Josh Vardaman is the staff writer for goblueraiders.com. Follow him on Twitter @J_Vardaman and also follow @MTAthletics for more on the Blue Raiders.
Players Mentioned
2025 MTSU Soccer Senior Sit Down
Friday, October 17
True Blue Testimonials - Savannah Davis MTSU Women's Basketball Guard - Presented by MMC
Thursday, October 16
Blue Raider Notebook Presented by TOA - October 13th
Monday, October 13
Blue Raider Breakdown Postgame Show - October 8th
Thursday, October 09