Springfield, Ohio – On the heels of a top-five finish in the 2014 NCAA Division III Tournament, student-athletes from Wittenberg University’s men’s golf team have once again put in the hard work during the summer months. The results, for current and alumni members of both the men’s and women’s golf teams, have been tremendous.
The points of pride start with one current Tiger and one alumnus qualifying for the prestigious U.S. Amateur, one of top annual tournaments hosted by the United States Golf Association (USGA). Jordan Millice, class of 2012, finished second in a qualifier hosted by Miami Valley Golf Club in Dayton, while senior Alex Andrews (Kirtland, Ohio/Gilmour Academy) tied for second place at New Castle Country Club in New Castle, Pa. The pair will compete on the Highlands Course at the famed Atlanta Athletic Club in Johns Creek, Ga., starting Aug. 11.
Ben Hogenkamp, class of 2014, recently exhausted his eligibility following an All-American senior season for the Tigers. He carried that momentum over to the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship at Sand Creek Station Golf Course in Newton, Kan., where Hogenkamp made the cut and advanced to the Round of 32 in the match play competition.
Millice and Andrews were also among eight Tigers to compete in the Ohio Amateur, sponsored by the Ohio Golf Association. They were joined in the field by David Wetterich, class of 2014, Andy Bonar, class of 2005 and the team’s current assistant coach, sophomore Mark David Wright (Westerville, Ohio/Tree of Life), sophomore Garrett Brickley (Pickerington, Ohio/North), junior Sam Geise (Springboro, Ohio/Springboro) and senior John Chaney (Shaker Heights, Ohio/Gilmour Academy).
Millice, Bonar, Wetterich and Chaney all made the 36-hole cut, and Millice, Wetterich and Chaney advanced past the 54-hole cut. Chaney wound up the top Wittenberg finisher in 16th place.
Millice also excelled in the Mid-Ohio Amateur, where he placed third, and Chaney finished eighth at the Northern Amateur. In addition, Chaney, Andrews and senior Jared Wissinger (Hilliard, Ohio/Davidson) made the cut at the Ohio Open, which includes both professionals and amateur players. Wissinger and Andrews shot matching rounds of 67 over the final 18 holes to tie for 21st place, while Chaney was close behind in 32nd.
Rounding things out is sophomore Sam Stilwell (Sterling, Va./Dominion), who has had an equally busy summer. He qualified for the Virginia Amateur Championship, won a qualifier to gain entry into the prestigious Southern Amateur Championship, and qualified for the North & South Amateur. He was joined in the latter tourney by Wetterich.
On the women’s side, senior Rachel Steiner (Hamilton, Ohio/Lakota West) won the first flight championship at the Cincinnati Met Championship. Sophomore Macy Hubbard (Mason, Ohio/Mason) advanced to the quarterfinals in the championship flight at the Ohio Amateur. And freshman Jane Hopkinson-Wood (Pottstown, Pa./The Hill School) finished fourth in the American Junior Golf Association’s Philadelphia Junior Tournament.
“We’ve got a special group of young people who are self-motivated and thrive on trying to be the best they can be,” said Roope, who won both men’s and women’s golf Coach of the Year awards in 2014. “I'm pretty fortunate to have such a dedicated group of women and men.”
Wittenberg’s men’s golf team is expected to return eight letterwinners to the roster following another tremendous season in 2013-14. The Tigers have now won five straight North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) championships and have finished in the top 15 in four of the last five NCAA Division III Tournaments. The Tiger women will welcome seven letterwinners back to the roster in 2014-15 after ranking in the top 25 and finishing second in the league each of the last three years.
Written By: Ryan Maurer