GALENA, Ohio – After the first round of the second 2017 NCAC Championship series was cancelled a day earlier due to inclement weather, Wittenberg golf came out strong for the final round of NCAC play at Royal American Links on Sunday; both the men's and women's programs hoisted the championship trophy for the third straight season.
Wittenberg claimed the top-spot at the first championship series a week ago at Meadville Country Club on both sides, before concluding the 54-hole shortened tournament on Sunday.
The men's championship is the eighth straight for the Tigers, as the team put together a 54-hole score of 878 (284-293-301). Wittenberg's women's title is their third straight, with a 54-hole score of 944 (321-319-304).
As league champions, both Wittenberg squads have earned the league's automatic bid to compete in the NCAA Division III Championships. Wittenberg's men's program will travel to sunny Florida to compete in the NCAA Championship on May 16-19 at Mission Inn Resort in Howey in the Hills, Florida. The Tiger's women's program will compete May 9-12 at Bay Oaks Country Club in Houston, Texas, at their respective NCAA Championship.
Senior women's standout Macy Hubbard earned medalist honors for the Tigers, after putting together a two-week run that concluded with a total score of 222 (72-77-73). Jane-Hopkinson Wood finished in second at the NCAC Championship, while being named the NCAC Golfer of the Year for the second-consecutive campaign.
The Tigers final round was also highlighted by both Hubbard and freshman Madi Wolters acing par-three hole number eight.
Sam Stilwell paced the Tigers on the men's side, as the senior took home medalist honors, as well as NCAC Golfer of the Year honors, after carding a 54-hole score of 218 (68-75-75). Stilwell downed fellow teammate and NCAC Newcomer of the Year, Cameron Willis, in a sudden-death playoff after sending a chip in the bottom of the cup on the second playoff hole.
Willis earned NCAC Newcomer of the Year Honors for Wittenberg after finishing atop the leaderboard in the individual standings amongst players partaking in their first collegiate championship.
Head coach Jeff Roope was named the 2017 NCAC Women's Coach of the Year for the third straight season, as well as the 2017 NCAC Men's Coach of the Year.
