FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Evan O’Kelly Director of Communications O: (406) 657-2130 E: evan.okelly@msubillings.edu Monday, April 3, 2017 Men’s golf earns GNAC Team of the Week after tourney win
After winning the Yellowjacket Spring Invite last week, MSUB’s men’s golf team earns GNAC Team of the Week honors. PORTLAND, Ore. – When Caleb Stetzner turned in his scorecard last Monday at Lake Hills Golf Club, he had a look of bewilderment on his face. The true freshman on the Montana State University Billings men’s golf team had just posted a 1-over-par 73 on the par72, 6,802-yard course layout, yet he was informed by his Yellowjacket teammates that his score would not be factored into the team’s total on the day. Stetzner’s 73 wasn’t so much of a shortcoming as it was a pleasant surprise for MSUB head coach Kevin Woodin, who tallied four individual scores below par to put together a stellar team round of 281. “That second round was definitely the key for us coming out on top in that event,” said Woodin. “They all started very well, and fed off one another. They were in consecutive groups, and I think that’s where there’s team unity in golf. There is such a thing as momentum in team golf, and we got it there for a while. For four players to shoot under par was pretty exciting.”
The key second round is what carried the Yellowjacket men to the team title last week, and the squad has been rewarded by earning Great Northwest Athletic Conference Team of the Week announced by the conference office on Monday. “I’m very happy for our guys, and I think they’ve made a lot of improvements since last year and even since last fall,” Woodin said. “It’s nice to see their efforts paying off for them. They’re a close knit group and I’m excited to see how they do for the rest of the spring as well.” Seniors Connor Miele and Michael Porter, and freshman Garrett Woodin all shot a second-round score of 70, and sophomore Austin Walter was close behind with a 71. Stetzner contributed to the team score with a stellar 71 in the opening round, and wound up in eighth place overall with a 221 (71-7377). For Miele, the tournament marked his best score of the spring as he played his way to second place overall with a three-round total of 3-under-par 213 (73-70-70). “I am very happy for Connor, and he’s been a great captain in my time with the team,” Woodin commented. “He puts in a lot of extra time towards making sure his team is prepared. It was awesome to see him play well, and to see his team recognized for their play too.” Woodin also finished in the top-5 with a score of 219 (74-70-75), as the ‘Jackets had a pair of medal winners after the three-round event. It took a concerted effort for the ‘Jackets to hold off second-place Rocky Mountain College, as MSUB took home the hardware with a three-round score of 874 (296-281-297) to better RMC’s mark of 888 (298-294-296).
Senior Connor Miele took second at the Yellowjacket Spring Invite last week, helping MSUB to the team title and GNAC Team of the Week honors.
While the 281 team score was far and away the best of the tournament by any team, it was a distant second to the Yellowjackets’ record-setting mark of 269 during the fall season. With the school record for team single-round score sitting at 271 entering the year, MSUB had five players with a sub-70 score at the Rocky Mountain College Invite at Peter Yegen Golf Club on Oct. 2, 2016. Walter stole the show with a team season-low score of 65 at the event, coming within one stroke of the MSUB individual single-round record. The Yellowjackets are back in action this week, competing at the three-round Western New Mexico University Invitational at Palm Valley Golf Club in Goodyear, Ariz. The tournament runs Monday and Tuesday, with live scoring available online here. It will be the final tournament for the ‘Jackets prior to the 2017 GNAC Championships, which are scheduled to run April 24-25 at the Coeur d’Alene Resort in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. --@MSUBSports | #JacketNation--