UAPB senior relishes playing on big stage

The opportunity to compete with the nation's top college golfers at one of the nation's most admired courses is an honor and a pleasure for University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff senior Joshua McCray.

"It's important for the University for me to represent," McCray said of his participation in this week's first Jackson T. Stephens Cup at The Alotian Club in Roland. "I've heard a lot about it. It's like the Augusta of Arkansas."

McCray and 71 other college golfers playing as individuals or with teams from around the nation played practice rounds and participated in a pro-am style event Sunday at the scenic par-72 layout that is ranked No. 35 on Golf Digest's list of "America's 100 Greatest Golf Courses."

The Alotian Club, which played host to the Western Amateur in 2013 and the Arnold Palmer Cup in 2019, will play at 7,396 yards for the men and 6,367 yards for the women.

The highly-ranked University of Arkansas men's and women's squads will participate against other ranked schools in team competition, which ends Wednesday with a round of match play to determine each division's team championship.

McCray earned a June invitation to the event based on his second-place finish at the Southwestern Athletic Conference tournament last spring.

"I think I'm trending in the right direction," McCray said. "I can put it that way."

McCray said he will not be intimidated.

"As long as I'm prepared there is no pressure," said McCray, who will compete against five others in the individual competition that will cover 54 holes and end Tuesday. "I feel like I can be competitive right now."

McCray's participation this week is a big deal for him, but it may even be bigger for the UAPB golf program, which is working itself up from the bottom of the NCAA heap.

"It means everything to our program," UAPB golf Coach Roger Totten said. "When we recruit kids, that's one thing they say, they want to play against the best.

"We can say, 'You come to UAPB, you'll get an opportunity to play against the top golfers in our nation, and this is a prime example."

McCray, who attended Memphis White Station High School, said he was playing golf with his father Polk, a competitive amateur player in his own right, one day in the spring of 2018.

McCray said a golf course employee, who turned out to be Darron Totten, had watched him play and asked if he would be interested in playing golf at UAPB, where his brother Roger had just taken over as golf coach.

"I told him I had a couple of options, but they weren't looking too good," McCray said.

The next day McCray got a call from Roger Totten, the two talked on the phone, and Totten sent McCray the necessary paperwork.

McCray said he was offered a full scholarship before he ever stepped foot on camps.

"I accepted it then and there," said McCray, who has made the honor roll while studying in the Technology Management and Applied Engineering program. "I've been here ever since."

Totten said McCray has played a role in lifting UAPB from its status as one of lower-ranked golf teams in Division I, and his participation this week is another step for the program.

"Joshua's got a chance to be a great golfer," Totten said. "He's long, and he's got a great short game."

McCray will be competing against Thomas Katsenes of Army, Nicholas Klock of Navy, Colter Baca of Air Force, Lorenzo Elbert Jr. of Prairie View A&M and Xavier Williams of North Carolina A&T in the 54-hole individual competition over the next days.

"He's going to be very honored," Totten said of McCray. "These kind of things, you don't just show up, you've got to be invited.

"When I took over the program 5 years ago, we didn't have players the caliber of Joshua. We're excited."