Men’s golf wins first ASC crown

The 11th ranked University men’s golf team advances to the NCAA Golf Championship after winning the team’s first-ever American Southwest Conference Championship last week at Horseshoe Bay.

The ASC championship is the team’s seventh consecutive tournament win, a streak Head Coach King Campbell said is the second-longest in the nation.

“This is the best team I’ve ever had in terms of team unity and team chemistry. They are the hardest working young men I’ve ever had, and the best conditioned I’ve ever had,” Campbell said.

NCAA Men’s Golf Championship is scheduled May 11-14 at Hershey Links in Hershey, Pa. The course plays to a par 72.

Ellis

“The course looks challenging and difficult. They have different types of greens than we are used to playing, but that’s not relevant if we are playing well. There’s not as much humidity and temperatures should be cooler,” Campbell said.

The 11th ranked men’s team enters their second NCAA tournament as conference champions, though Campbell said they should be ranked higher.

“One reason we aren’t ranked higher is strength of schedule.  Limits on travel because of budget cuts meant we didn’t play in several important tourneys,” Campbell said.

The Patriots set an ASC Tournament record by winning with a 34-stroke margin. Mary Hardin Baylor (910), Schreiner (914) and Concordia Texas (923) finished second, third and fourth, respectively.

Three men’s players placed among the top five in the individual results. Tournament medalist and senior Brandon Ellis carded a 209 (68-68-73) and was the only golfer to finish under par (-4) on the par-71 course.  Freshmen Joey Rippel tied for third with 222 (70-73-79) and senior Bobby Ennis tied for fifth at 224 (75-75-74).

Ellis, Rippel and Ennis received First Team All-ASC honors. Sophomore Jacob Walsh was named second team. Campbell was named ASC Coach of the Year for a second consecutive season, but first for with the men’s team. Campbell is in his sixth year with the University.

The women’s team placed second behind Schreiner University at the ASC Championship Tournament. The women shot a two-day total 680. Sophomore Jennifer King tied for third place with a 166 (87-79). Sophomore Callie Rice carded 169 to finish in sixth place and junior A. Katie Harris took eighth with 171. The 29th ranked women’s team awaits a possible at-large bid into the NCAA Women’s Golf Championship May 11-14 at Mission Inn Resort in Howey-in-the-Hills, Fla.