Midway (Ky.) wins RSC Men's Golf Championship for 1st title in team history

4/20/2021 12:00:00 AM

FLORENCE, Ind. -- Midway (Ky.) University shot the best round of the tournament in the final round Tuesday to secure the 2021 River States Conference Men's Golf Championship, the first title in team history. The Eagles, who led by 18 shots after 36 holes played in Rounds 1 & 2 on Monday, cut more strokes off their game to shoot a team score of 293 over the final 18 holes.

Midway had the lead after each of the three rounds. The Eagles opened up with a 303 on Monday morning and improved upon that with a 297 in the afternoon. With half the field of 12 teams within 30 strokes of the lead, Midway left no doubt over the final 18 holes and clinched the title.

Midway advances to the NAIA Men's Golf National Championship May 18-21 at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Ill. The Eagles qualified with the RSC's automatic bid.

Indiana University East took runner-up honors by shooting its best round on Tuesday. The Red Wolves moved up from third to second with a 302 in the final round. Ohio Christian University placed third with another solid round of 310 on Tuesday. Indiana University Kokomo also shot its best round on Tuesday, a 303 that put the Cougars in fourth.

Asbury (Ky.) University shot a final-round 312 to move up one spot to fifth. Brescia (Ky.) University shot 307 in the final 18 holes to move up from eighth into a tie for sixth with University of Rio Grande (Ohio). For the complete team and individual leaderboards, click the link above.

Midway (Ky.) University senior Logan Conn took medalist honors in a playoff over IU East freshman Jake Miller. The top two players in the RSC all year, Conn and Miller both finished at 2-under 211 after 54 holes. Conn (72-70-69) got into the playoff with a final-round 69 (-2), while Miller (69-71-71) shot even par over the final 36 holes after opening up with a 69 himself.

Conn made par on the first playoff hole while Miller made bogey and thus Conn won medalist. Conn also earned RSC Men's Golfer of the Year and led the All-RSC Men's Golf First Team. Miller earned RSC Men's Golf Newcomer of the Year and also a spot on the First Team.

Midway head coach Otis Smith was voted RSC Men's Golf Coach of the Year. The Eagles had three players in the top five with Conn in first, Elliott Smith (+8) in third and Will Molen (+15) in fifth. All three of those players made All-RSC First Team along with IU East's Miller and Ohio Christian's Michael Cooper (+14), who placed fourth to lead the Trailblazers to third place as a team.

The RSC Men's Golf First & Second Teams were comprised on five players on each list. Scores from the three rounds this week and the two rounds from the RSC Fall Preview were taken into account.

Also named was the RSC Men's Golf Champions of Character Team. Nominated by their head coach, one member of each team was recognized for best displaying the NAIA's five core values of respect, responsibility, integrity, servant leadership and sportsmanship.

2021 RIVER STATES CONFERENCE MEN'S GOLF TEAMS & AWARDS

RSC Golfer of the Year

Logan Conn – Midway (Ky.), Sr.

RSC Newcomer of the Year

Jake Miller – IU East, Fr.

RSC Coach of the Year

Otis Smith – Midway

RSC Medalist

Logan Conn – Midway (Ky.), Sr.

All-RSC Men's Golf First Team

Logan Conn – Midway (Ky.)
Jake Miller- IU East
Elliott Smith – Midway (Ky.)
Michael Cooper – Ohio Christian
William Molen - Midway (Ky.)

All-RSC Men's Golf Second Team

Parker Brown – Brescia
Jack Barnes – IU Kokomo
Levi Chapman – Rio Grande
Juan Valdivieso – Asbury
Corbin Robinson – IU Kokomo

RSC Men's Golf Champions of Character Team

Alice Lloyd (Ky.) – Matthew Henson
Asbury (Ky.) – Gavin Smith
Brescia (Ky.) – Parker Brown
Carlow (Pa.) – Lucas Smith
IU East – Caleb Waugh
IU Kokomo – Harley Hugh
Midway (Ky.) – Elliott Smith
Oakland City (Ind.) – Tyler Toopes
Ohio Christian – Quinn Chapman
Point Park (Pa.) – Matt D'Amico
Rio Grande (Ohio) – Colton Blakeman
WVU Tech – Jorge Hernandez