GREENSBORO, NC - The Wittenberg Tigers are officially the hottest team in the 2015 NCAA Division III Tournament. After scorching the challenging East Course at Grandover Resort with a one-under-par round of 287 the Tigers stand just one stroke off the pace entering the fourth and final round.
Through three rounds, Wittenberg has recorded 877 strokes, just one behind Berry and three ahead of LaGrange. Methodist is fourth with 881 and Redlands is fifth with 883. Just seven strokes separate the top five teams heading into the final round.
Wittenberg posted the tournament's best round on the East Course, powered by a three-under-par round of 69 from senior Alex Andrews (Kirtland, Ohio/Gilmour Academy). Andrews carded an eagle-three on the sixth hole en route to a bogey-free, three-under-par front nine and then battled back from a pair of bogeys on the homeward nine to post Wittenberg's best score of the week and move into 20th place in the individual standings.
Andrews was joined below par by fellow senior John Chaney (Gates Mills, Ohio/Gilmour Academy), who posted a two-under-par round of 70 on the strength of six birdies on the day. Chaney, the medalist of the 2015 North Coast Athletic Conference Championship Series, stands eighth individually with a three-round score of 217, which is eight strokes off the lead.
Wittenberg started the day in fifth place, up four places from the start of the second round. The Tigers continued to carry the momentum in the third round, highlighted by a birdie-four by all five players on the par-five 18th hole.
That birdie pushed sophomore Sam Stilwell (Sterling, Va./Dominion) into a tie for 20th with Andrews after carding a 73 in the third round. Junior Sam Geise (Springboro, Ohio/Springboro) finished with a 75 and stands 51st overall with a total of 229, while senior Jared Wissinger (Hilliard, Ohio/Davidson) shot a 78 to stand 37th in the 210-player field with an overall score of 224.
"The men have had a knack this year for putting together score-able rounds when it might not be their best day and then also proving on their best days that they are capable of playing at a very high level," said Head Coach Jeff Roope. "This tournament has sort of been a microcosm of the entire season, including the fact that four different players have posted a score at par or better.
"Coach B (Assistant Coach Andy Bonar) and I are really happy to have the chance to work with a talented group of young men and are looking forward to what lies ahead tomorrow."
The Tigers will tee off with Berry and LaGrange right in the middle of the final round on Friday. Geise will lead off with a 9:25 a.m. tee time and Chaney will anchor the team, starting at 10:05 a.m.
Wittenberg is shooting for its first-ever NCAA Championship in men's golf. The Tigers' best previous finish is fourth in 1990.
Written By: Ryan Maurer