The Gustavus Adolphus College men’s golf team has been selected to participate in the 2005 NCAA Division III Men’s Golf Championships. This will be the 21st consecutive appearance in the national meet for the Gusties, which is the third longest active streak in men’s golf behind Skidmore (28) and Methodist (25). The tournament will take place at the Mission Inn Golf and Tennis Resort May 9-12 in Howey-in-the-Hills, Florida.
Gustavus won the 2004 national title with a four-day total of 1,178 at the PGA of Southern California Golf Club at Oak Valley in Beaumont, California. Coach Moe’s squad has had an impressive spring season claiming two-tournament titles. Gustavus’ most notable performance this spring came in the second competition of the season. Gustavus was in fourth place trailing by eight-strokes after the first 18-holes at the Buena Vista Classic in Iowa. The Gusties rallied on the second day with a score of 292 (+4) to win by one stroke ahead of second place Indian Hills Community College.
Coach Moe is very excited for his team. “We have had a great spring and have shown great balance throughout our squad,” Moe commented. Balance has certainly been the key to success for Gustavus as a different player has recorded the top score for the team at each competition this sping.
“We have four new players on the squad this year, with Brady Hoffman being the only returner from last year’s championship team,” Moe commented. “Having a different player step up each week has been great. It is this kind of balance that a team needs to compete at a high level.”
Five student-athletes will represent Gustavus at the NCAA Championships in May. Coach Moe has selected Jon Hagedorn (Junior, Blue Earth, Minn), Clayton Johnson (Junior, Anoka, Minn.), Brady Hoffman (Senior, Owatonna, Minn.), Mark Stuckey (Freshman, St. Peter, Minn.), and Erik Tone (Sophomore, Willmar, Minn.).
Jon Hagedorn leads the Gusties this spring with a 73.71 stroke average. Hagedorn saved his top performance for the last tournament of the spring. The junior won individual medalist honors at the Saint John’s University with a score of 72-67–139 (-3) and was named Co-MIAC Men’s Golfer of the week for his performance. Hagedorn’s second-round score of 67 is the team’s lowest 18-hole score of the season.
Clayton Johnson is second on the team in stroke average this spring with an average of 75.60. Johnson’s top performance of the season came in the Gustie Spring Invite. The junior tied for eighth place with a 54-hole total 75-72-74–221.
Brady Hoffman and Mark Stuckey each possess a stroke average of 75.60 heading into the national meet. Hoffman was named Co-MIAC Men’s Golfer of the week for his performance at the Buena Vista Classic. The senior placed fourth overall with a 36-hole total of 73-71–144 to help the Gusties record the come from behind victory.
Stuckey has been a pleasant surprise for the Gusties this spring becoming an integral part of the team. Stuckey recorded his best two rounds of golf in the last tournament before the national meet. The freshman compiled 36-hole total of 70-72–145 at the Saint John’s University Invite to place fourth overall.
Erik Tone’s stroke average of 76.30 ranks him fifth on the team. The sophomore’s top finish of the season was at the Gustie Spring Classic. He recorded a 54-hole total of 73-75-74–222 to tie for 11th overall at the tournament.
The NCAA Championships will feature 27 teams from six different regions for a total of 120 participants. Joining Gustavus from the Central Region will be Saint John’s University, Central College, Nebraska Wesleyan University, and University of Wisconsin Eau Claire.
Mission Inn Golf & Tennis Resort
Team Photo Identification
Back Row (l to r): Brady Hoffman, Erick Tone, Jon Hagedorn, Kyle Rohlfs,
Head Coach Scott Moe, Asst. Coach Charlie Seitzer, Colin Cody, Mark Stuckey,
and Johan Erixon.
Front Row (l to r): Nick Greve, Arie DeGrio, Riley Hoffman, Chris Cole, Clayton
Johnson, Eric Harris, Jordan Hawkinson, and Brian Zard.