FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Evan O’Kelly Director of Communications O: (406) 657-2130 E: evan.okelly@msubillings.edu Wednesday, March 16, 2016 Golf preview: MSUB men set for Cal Baptist Invite Monday
MSUB’s men’s golf team gets started with its spring season on Monday with the Cal Baptist Invitational in Corona, Calif. BILLINGS, Mont. – Kicking off its 2016 spring schedule next week, the Montana State University Billings men’s golf team heads to California for the Cal Baptist University Invitational running Monday and Tuesday at Eagle Glen Golf Club. It is the first of four tournaments on the Yellowjackets’ schedule this spring, which culminates at the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championships on April 18-19 at the Coeur d’Alene Resort in Idaho. “I have been very impressed with the work ethic and the unity of the squad,” commented interim head coach Kevin Woodin. “It has been a pleasure working with the men, and we have been able to get a lot of golf time in with the good weather in February.” MSUB competed in four tournaments during the fall season, which ended with a first-place finish at the Yellowjacket Fall Invitational. Junior captain Connor Miele led the way for the ‘Jackets in their final fall tournament, finishing in third place with a two-round score of 143 (72-71). Through 11 total rounds in the fall, Miele led the team with a scoring average of 74.0 and a pair of top-five finishes.
“We are really excited to get going this weekend,” Miele said. “California is a really great place to start. Posting our first under-par score as a team was a great way to wrap up the fall, and with the freshmen we have a very talented group.” Fellow junior Michael Porter had a solid debut performance in the fall, averaging a score of 74.5 over 11 rounds and finishing in the top-five at MSUB’s fall tournament. Freshmen Braden Luper and Scott Larson also played in all 11 fall rounds for the ‘Jackets, posting scoring averages of 76.8 and 77.2, respectively. Austin Walter rounds out the team of five who will compete for MSUB in the spring, and he played in eight rounds in the fall with a low-round mark of 76. “Our guys have been very dedicated as far as working on their game during the offseason,” Woodin said. “We put a strong emphasis on their play from 100 yards and in, and they have been putting in a lot of time there. I am excited to see how the men play with their first tournament in California.” The ’Jackets will host their spring invitational the following week at Pryor Creek Golf Club in Huntley, Mont., running March 28-29. The team’s final tournament before the conference championship will be the Western New Mexico University Invitational, from April 4-5 in Goodyear, Ariz. ‘JACKET MEN ADD TWO RECRUITS FOR 2016-17
Adding its first two recruits for the 2016-17 season, MSUB’s men’s golf team will welcome Garrett Woodin and Jack Shea next fall. Woodin is a senior at Billings West High School, and Shea is a senior at Sequim High School in Washington. Woodin’s father Kevin is the current interim head men’s and women’s golf coach for the Yellowjackets. “Our coaching staff is excited to have Garrett and Jack join our men’s golf team,” Coach Woodin commented.
During his senior season with the Golden Bears, Woodin placed in the top-5 in six of the seven events he participated in and led his team to the Class AA state title. Woodin won the Billings Invitational on Aug. 24-25, 2015 with a two-round score of 142 (70-72). Woodin’s best individual round score came at the state tournament, where he shot a 69 in the final round to finish third individually among a field of 70 high-school boys. Woodin was a two-year team captain and a four-year letterwinner at Billings West. The Bears counted his score in 36 consecutive rounds over his final three seasons, and 33 of those scores were sub-80. He was picked as a Class AA all-state golfer in 2015 and had a scoring average of 73.46 as a senior in the fall. “I chose MSUB because I felt that it was the best option for me moving forward as a golfer, student, and person,” Woodin said. “Garrett played very well last summer and then had an exceptional fall senior season at Billings West,” said Coach Woodin. “He is a very consistent player, and we feel his best golf is yet to come.” Shea is a three-sport athlete for the Wolves, participating in golf, basketball, and football. A four-year letterwinner in golf, Shea was picked as the Olympic League most valuable player as a junior on the golf team. He is a two-year team captain, and has earned academic honors all three seasons to date. Shea competed in the Class 2A state golf championships as a sophomore and a junior, placing in the top-10 last season under head coach and father Bill Shea. He posted a career-best single-round score of 65 (7-under par), and also holds the lowest scoring average in school history. As a junior, Shea was an all-league selection in football as a defensive end, and was picked as the defensive most valuable player as well under head coach Erik Wiker. He was an academic honoree for football and basketball as well. “I was looking for a college where I could play golf, and I loved what I saw when I looked around the campus,” Shea said. “The reason I want to play college golf is to improve my game and I feel like MSUB is a great place to do that. Not only am I looking for a great golf team, I would love to manage a local golf course when I’m done with school, and I feel like taking a business management class is one step closer to that career path. I feel that MSUB has a great program for that course.” “Jack has had an impressive high-school golf career to date, while also excelling in both basketball and football,” Coach Woodin said. “He will add great depth to our roster next fall.” Woodin and Shea are the first two recruits for MSUB’s men’s golf team for the 2016-17 season. --@MSUBSports | #JacketNation--