NOBLESVILLE, Ind. -- Indiana Wesleyan University men’s golf won the program’s 12th Crossroads League Championship on Tuesday with a six stroke victory over Taylor (Ind.) at Harbour Trees Golf Club in Noblesville, Indiana.
Indiana Wesleyan carded the lowest team score during the first round and the second best score in round three to catapult to the top of the leaderboard. IWU completed the 54-hole tournament with a score of 913 (300-304-309).
Taylor (Ind.) was runner-up with a 919 (315-296-308) while Marian (Ind.), which held a three stroke lead heading into final round play, finished third at 924 (312-289-323).
The league title is the first for the Wildcats since 2007 and only the second since 1997 when IWU won the championship three times in a four year span. With the team victory the Wildcats earned an automatic bid to the NAIA National Championship on May 13-16 in Daytona Beach, Florida.
Head coach Austin Conroy was hired to lead the Wildcats in January and will travel to the national tournament for the third time in his career. Conroy played on the last league champion for Indiana Wesleyan in 2007 during his freshman campaign and then played for the last Indiana Wesleyan team to advance to the national tournament in 2010 as an at-large selection during his senior season.
Dalton Miller (JR/Jonesboro, Ind.) was the low card for Indiana Wesleyan during tournament play and was the league runner-up with a final score of 224 (73-71-80). Miller was tied for the lead heading into the final round but Mount Vernon Nazarene’s (Ohio) Charlie Phillips defeated the 46-player field with a 214 (71-73-70).
Jake Coffey (FR/Columbus, Ind.) earned a tie for fifth place with a card of 228 (77-76-75) while Blake Russell (SO/Monticello, Ind.) and Zac Kinch were close behind. Russell fired a 230 (76-81-73) for 11th place and Kinch shot a 231 (74-76-81) to tie for 14th place. Brennan Brooker (SR/Medina, Ohio) completed the tournament with a 268 (84-95-89) for 46th position.
Miller and Coffey were named All-Crossroads League following the conclusion of the tournament. All players finishing in the top-10 of the championship were bestowed the All-League honors.
