Season Outlook/Schedule/Roster

The Nebraska men’s golf team hopes to hit the links hungry for the 2021 spring season after being knocked off the course by the worldwide outbreak of COVID-19 in mid-March of 2020.

The virus also prevented the Huskers from playing with a team lineup in tournaments during the fall, but it did not stop third-year Coach Mark Hankins from helping Nebraska golfers take major steps forward during the summer.

Nebraska’s individual stroke average leader the past two seasons, graduate student Tanner Owen returns for a fifth season after being granted an additional year of eligibility along with other NCAA golfers because of the pandemic.

In 2018-19, Owen posted a 72.86 average and tied for 16th at the Big Ten Championships, before posting a 75.46 average over half a regular season in 2019-20.

While Owen will be the most experienced and accomplished Husker, he will have to compete for lineup time with a deep roster filled with talented Nebraska golfers.

Senior Mark Foelbaek, who was an NJCAA All-American in 2019 before transferring to Nebraska, had an outstanding summer and fall after adjusting to NCAA Division I competition as a junior in 2019-20. Foelbaek won the Nebraska Open (Sept. 11-13) at Elks Country Graduate student Tanner Owen will lead the Huskers in his fifth season after posting Nebraska’s Club in Columbus with a 204 (-12) with rounds top stroke average each of the past two years. of 69-68-67. (75.53) and joined Owen in the Husker lineup for rounds of 68 and 67 to head to last 18 holes at

Another junior college All-American, Tom all 15 rounds last year, has continued to improve. 9-under par.Westenberger, added a tie for fourth at the Those five returning golfers would give Hankins A third freshman, Jeremy Sisson (Skaneateles, Nebraska Open with a 206 (-10) over three and the Huskers plenty of reasons for optimism, but N.Y.) added NU’s best individual round at the rounds. Foelbaek and Westenberger continued Nebraska’s real boost in competition comes from Nebraska Open with a final-round 66 (-6), while to perform well during the fall, as did junior another set of new golfers to the roster. sophomore Will Marshall (Elburn, Ill.) was one of Caleb Badura, who added a tie for ninth at the Freshman Jack Lundin, who was a two-time high six Huskers to finish in the top 12 in Columbus. Nebraska Open with a 209 (-7). school state champion and the South Dakota Men’s Marshall, who held Nebraska’s No. 4 stroke

All three transfers were significant contributors Amateur Champion in 2019, tied for seventh at average at 76.50 over six rounds as a true freshman, in a shortened 2019-20 season, including the Nebraska Open with a 208 (-8) and was one of fired a 210 (-6) at the Nebraska Open and joined Badura’s history-making 4-0 record at the 2020 five Huskers to lead the tournament field at some Lundin, Scheve, Westenberger and Foelbaek atop Big Ten Match Play Championships. All three point in the event. the leaderboard at one point during the tourney.took their games to higher levels in the fall. Freshman Gentry Scheve (Emporia, Kan.) led the Seniors Daniel Pearson and junior Tristan Nelko

Meanwhile, NJCAA All-American Branden Nebraska Open entering the final day after posting along with freshmen Will Harding and Reed Malleck Meyer, who held Nebraska’s No. 2 stroke average round out the Nebraska roster heading into 2021. The Huskers are scheduled to open the spring with the Big Red Alumni Invite at TPC Sawgrass in Jacksonville, Fla. (Jan. 30). The Huskers will use the weekend in Jacksonville to help prepare for the Big Ten Match Play Championship at Hammock Beach Resort in Palm Coast, Fla. (Feb. 5-6). The Huskers have finished in the top four at the Big Ten Match Play in each of the past two seasons. Nebraska then heads to the West Coast for the Challenge at Rancho in San Diego (Feb. 27), before a second trip to California for the Lamkin San Diego Classic (March 8-10). The Huskers will head to Spring Break at the Champions Golf Club in Houston, before competing at The Aggie Invitational at the Traditions Club (April 9-11). Nebraska plays host to the Git-R-Done Husker Invitational at Firethorn (April 17-18), before closing their regular-season schedule at the Robert Kepler Invitational on the Scarlet Course at Ohio State (April 24-25). The Crooked Stick Golf Club in Carmel, Ind., is set to host the Big Ten Championships (April 30Mark Foelbaek won the 2020 Nebraska Open with a 12-under-par 204 at the Elks Country Club May 2), before NCAA Regional play (May 17-19). (Sept. 11-13). Foelbaek was one of eight Huskers to finish in the top 20 in the 95-player field The NCAA Championships will be held at the that included the state’s top amateurs and professionals. Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz.

The 2020-21 Nebraska Men’s Golf team (back row, from left): Assistant Coach Brett Balak, Mark Foelbaek, Tom Westenberger, Tristan Nelko, Branden Meyer, Daniel Pearson, Tanner Owen, Caleb Badura, Head Coach Mark Hankins; (front row, from left): Will Marshall, Will Harding, Jack Lundin, Jeremy Sisson, Gentry Scheve, Reed Malleck.

2020-21 NEBRASKA ROSTER

Name Year Hometown

Caleb Badura Jr. Aurora, Neb. Mark Foelbaek Sr. Jelling, Denmark Will Harding Fr. Prairie Village, Kan. Jack Lundin Fr. Sioux Falls, S.D. Reed Malleck Fr. York, Neb. Will Marshall So. Elburn, Ill. Branden Meyer Sr. Gilbert, Ariz. Tristan Nelko Jr. Plymouth, Minn. Tanner Owen Gr. Parkville, Mo. Daniel Pearson Sr. Longmont, Colo. Gentry Scheve Fr. Emporia, Kan. Jeremy Sisson Fr. Skaneateles, N.Y. Tom Westenberger Sr. Wuppertal, Germany Head Coach: Mark Hankins, Third season (Iowa State, 1993) Assistant Coach: Brett Balak, Second season (Nebraska Wesleyan)

Previous School/High School

Northwestern College/Aurora Ranger (Texas) College Shawnee Mission East Roosevelt York Kaneland South Mountain CC/Campo Verde Wayzata Park Hill South Fairview Emporia Arkansas/Skaneateles Iowa Western CC

2020-21 NEBRASKA SCHEDULE

SPRING Date

Jan. 30 Feb. 5-6 Feb. 27 March 8-10 March 19-21 April 9-11 April 17-18 April 24-25 April 30-May 2 May 17-19 May 28-June 2

Tournament

Big Red Alumni Invite Big Ten Match Play Championship Challenge at Rancho Lamkin San Diego Classic Spring Break The Aggie Invitational Git-R-Done Husker Invitational Robert Kepler Invitational Big Ten Championships NCAA Regionals NCAA Championships

Host

Nebraska Big Ten Nebraska San Diego State Nebraska Texas A&M Nebraska Ohio State Big Ten NCAA Arizona State

Location

Jacksonville, Fla. Palm Coast, Fla. San Diego, Calif. San Diego, Calif. Houston, Texas College Station, Texas Lincoln, Neb. Columbus, Ohio Carmel, Ind. Six host sites Scottsdale, Ariz.

Course

TPC at Sawgrass Hammock Beach Resort Rancho Sante Fe Country Club San Diego Country Club Champions Golf Club Traditions Golf Course Firethorn Golf Club Scarlet Golf Course Crooked Stick Golf Club Six host sites Grayhawk Golf Club