2021 NAIA Golf Championships Book

GOLF May 18-21 TPC Deere Run Silvis, Ill.

May 25-28 Rose Creek Golf Course Oklahoma City, Okla.

2021 NAIA Championships

Corey Matthey Senior Sergeant Bluff, Iowa

Jonny Douglas Senior Newcastle upon Tyne, England

Xan Milligan Senior Hexham, England

Jackson Sitzmann Sophomore Sioux City, Iowa

James Evans Freshman Melbourne, Australia

Laia Badosa Junior Girona, Spain

Samantha Knight Senior Onawa, Iowa

Sofia Castelan Freshman Queretaro, Mexico

Maria Nava Junior Monterrey, Mexico

Maria Zorrilla Senior Torreon, Mexico

HEAD COACH TODD SAPP Head coach Todd Sapp has claimed a combined seven Great Plains Athletic Conference Coach of the Year awards since 2017-18, four of which are women’s accolades and three being men’s. The awards mirror the remarkable number of championships won together by the two programs. In that same span, Morningside has become a known commodity on the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics’ landscape, reaching the national meet a combined five times (three women’s and two men’s).

His coaching acumen is just part of his links story. Sapp is one of the top amateur players in the Siouxland area with an impressive resume that includes over 50 tournament championships. He is a six-time Jividen Cup champion as well as a three-time Rivercade and Nebraska Governor Cup champion while also participating on both the Nebraska and Iowa Amateur State Cup teams. He is also a past Iowa Lake Creek Amateur and a Nebraska Open Amateur winner and has been the city champion in Sioux City and Lincoln, Neb.

WOMEN

MEN

MSIDE ADDS TO LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP STRING

MUSTANGS PUSH GPAC SKEIN TO THREE

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IOWA – Looking back at what his 2020-21 Morningside College women’s golf team wrapped up Friday and Saturday, April 23 and 24, head coach Todd Sapp had one thought at the forefront of his mind.

“This team is just really good,” he said matter-of-factly as the Mustangs celebrated a fourth successive Great Plains Athletic Conference tournament title. “It’s incredible what they accomplished.

NORTH SIOUX CITY, S.D. – For the second time in four days, the Morningside College golf program completed a wire-to-wire act to win a Great Plains Athletic Conference title Tuesday, April 27.

Every one of the players broke 78 as a season average based on their finishes this weekend,” he added. “When you look at us winning by 131 strokes and to have all five individuals place in the top eight is very remarkable. They earned it from the beginning in the fall up through this weekend.”

Senior Sam Knight captured her second medalist award, rounding out the 72-hole event with 18s of 73 and 77 at Bent Tree Golf Club to conclude at 305.

She held off fellow Class of 2021 member and teammate Maria Zorrilla by four strokes (305-309). Junior Laia Badosa placed third (311); freshman Sofia Castelan wound up sixth (323), and junior Maria Nava placed eighth (330).

“It’s great being able to have the opportunity to be a medalist again, but it’s even better to do this with my teammates, family, and friends by my side,” Knight remarked. “They’ve all been there pushing me in every situation and making me better.”

Morningside’s 952 eclipsed the 12-team field by 131 shots, with the University of Jamestown placing second (1378). “I’m proud of all of them,” Sapp said. “To be able to continue to build off what was started in the fall shows our depth.

Each of the women just went out and played their game.”

Following what the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics’ No. 7-ranked women’s team accomplished Saturday, April 24, head coach Todd Sapp’s men, ranked No. 12 nationally, carded the lowest group round of the 72-hole event with a blistering 286 during day three Monday, April 26, and didn’t look back at Dakota Dunes Golf Course. When play was completed, the dominance the women’s team had was the same theme for the men.

Seniors Jonny Douglas and Corey Matthey went one-two in the medalist chase. Douglas› 290, headlined by a tremendous 67 during the final round of the fall section last October, held off his teammate by two shots. Matthey finished with a 292, which included an impressive 144 over the two days at Dakota Dunes. Sophomore Jackson Sitzmann was the talk of the spring section, though. His ace on the fourth hole Monday sparked the Maroon and helped lead him to fifth individually (299). Senior Xan Milligan added his name to the best eight list with a 300 that placed him in a tie for sixth.

Sapp’s team, ensuring the men’s program was capturing its third successive loop crown and an automatic bid to the 2021 NAIA Championships, outdistanced runner-up Doane University by 46 shots on the team leaderboard.

They carded 1170 over the four-round championships.

SCHEDULE/RESULTS 2020-21 MORNINGSIDE COLLEGE WOMEN’S GOLF Sept. 10-11 Sept. 18-19 Sept. 21-22 Sept. 28-29 Oct. 5-6 Jan. 26 Feb. 15-16 March 22-23 April 6-7 April 15-16 April 23-24

Mt. Marty Invitational 1st of 13 Lila Frommelt Invitational 1st of 14 NW Iowa Invitational 1st of 8 Iowa Western CC Revier Invitational 1st of 4 2020 GPAC Championships Fall Section 1st of 12 Ottawa University (Ariz.) Invitational 1st of 4 Eagle Invitational at The Grand 4th of 6 Battle At The Primm 2nd of 7 Bulldog Invitational 1st of 15 Dordt Invitational 1st of 6 2021 GPAC Championships Spring Section 1st of 12

2021 MORNINGSIDE COLLEGE MEN’S GOLF Sept. 8-9 Sept. 14-15 Sept. 21-22 Sept. 24 Sept. 28-29 Oct. 12-13 Feb. 22-23 March 8-9 March 22-23 April 2-3 April 6 April 15 April 20 April 26-27

Mid-South Invitational 1st of 10 Siouxland Invitational 1st of 14 NW Iowa Invitational 1st of 11 Morningside Invitational 10th of 11 202 GPAC Championships Fall Section 1st of 11 UNO Maverick Invitational 3rd of 7 San Antonio Shootout 4th of 6 Texas Intercollegiate 6th of 9 Battle At The Primm 10th of 17 TPC Deere Invitational No Team Score Midland Invitational 7th of 8 Northwestern Red Raider Match Play 1st of 14 GPAC Preview 4th of 10 2021 GPAC Championships Spring Section 1st of 11

The Morningside College experience cultivates a passion for lifelong learning and a dedication to ethical leadership and civic responsibility.