Back to Back: Midway (Ky.) wins RSC Men's Golf Championship for second time
Back to Back: Midway (Ky.) wins RSC Men's Golf Championship for second time
FINAL RESULTS
FLORENCE, Ind. -- Midway (Ky.) University led from wire to wire to win its second consecutive River States Conference Men's Golf Championship this week at Belterra Golf Club. One year after winning their first conference title in program history, the Midway men were not ready to give back the hardware.
Midway improved its score all three days in the 54-hole championship held Sunday, Monday and Tuesday with 18 holes each day. The Eagles started out with a 303 to lead by eight shots after Sunday's opening round. They shot 298 on Monday to increase the lead to 22 strokes entering the final round. Midway closed out with the round of the tournament, a 297 to card a total of 898 over three rounds.
Midway advances to the NAIA Men's Golf National Championship as the RSC's automatic team qualifier. The national tournament is May 17-20 at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Ill.
Indiana University East took runner-up team honors, and Indiana University Kokomo placed third. The top three teams remained the same after each round. IU East and IU Kokomo both had their best rounds on Tuesday shooting 300 and 301 on the final day, respectively.
WVU Tech made a big jump over the final 18 holes wtih a score of 305 to move up to fourth place. The Golden Bears were eighth after Sunday and Monday. Brescia (Ky.) University was fifth and Oakland City (Ind.) University sixth to round out the top half of the 12 teams.
All five of Midway's players finished tied for 12th or higher in the championship. All five earned All-River States Conference honors with four on the All-RSC First Team.
RSC individual medalist Will Molen, from Midway, led the way with a 5-over par total for the tournament. He led all 54 holes with rounds of 70-73-75. That was good for a four-shot win over Indiana University East's Jake Miller.
Miller shot a final-round 70 to climb up from fifth place to runner-up on the final leaderboard. With rounds of 75-77-70, he earned RSC Men's Golfer of the Year. That honor was awarded to the best combined scoring in the RSC Fall Preview and at this week's RSC Championship.
Likewise, the All-RSC First & Second Team took into account the fall and spring events. Miller led the All-RSC First Team and was joined there by four players from Midway -- Camron Turner, Hayes Mason, Molen and Logan Conn.
The All-RSC Second Team featured Elliott Smith (Midway), Harley Pugh (IU Kokomo), Noah Onyett (Oakland City), Andrew Granda (St. Mary-of-the-Woods), Kyle Cochran (IU East) and Nate Neal (Oakland City).
Mason, a freshman from Midway, was named RSC Men's Golf Newcomer of the Year. He led all newcomers this year and finished tied for fourth overall this week with rounds of 77-74-75.
Midway head coach Otis Smith was named the Thomas Hackleroad RSC Men's Golf Coach of the Year. Smith is in his sixth year in charge of Eagles men's golf and his ninth year overall at the school also as the women's golf head coach.
Also named was the RSC Men's Golf Champions of Character Team. One member from each school was nominated by their coach for best displaying the five character values of the NAIA: respect, responsibility, integrity, servant leadership and sportsmanship.
2022 ALL-RIVER STATES CONFERENCE MEN'S GOLF TEAMS & AWARDS
RSC Men's Golfer of the Year
RSC Men's Golf Thomas Hackleroad Coach of the Year
RSC Men's Golf Newcomer of the Year
RSC Men's Golf Medalist
All-RSC Men's Golf First Team
- Jake Miller – IU East
- Camron Turner – Midway
- Hayes Mason – Midway
- William Molen – Midway
- Logan Conn – Midway
- Noah Onyett – Oakland City
All-RSC Men's Golf Second Team
- Elliott Smith – Midway
- Harley Pugh – IU Kokomo
- Andrew Granda – Saint Mary of the Woods
- Kyle Cochran – IU East
- Nate Neal – Oakland City
- Juan Martinez – West Virginia Tech
- Jack Barnes – IU Kokomo
RSC Men's Golf Champions of Character Team
- Alice Lloyd – Korey Hanson
- Brescia – Dakota Jones
- Carlow – Justin Molitoris
- IU East – Kyle Cochran
- IU Kokomo – Corbin Robinson
- Midway – Chase Taylor
- Oakland City – Noah McElrevy
- Point Park – Britton Bringhurst
- Rio Grande – Colton Blakeman
- St. Mary-of-the-Woods – Logan Vernon
- WVU Tech – Lukas Lange