Another 11 Saskatchewan student-athletes were scattered across the United States as the spring college season winds down with potentially regionals for some schools.
Regina’s Luke Cote was the highest finisher of the week with a sixth overall showing at the Gac Championships in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma on April 19 to 21 while competing for Southern Arkansas University (SAU). The reigning Saskatchewan amateur champion shot 73, 75, and 72 at The Club at Forest Ridge to lead the Muleriders to a third-place finish. Cote was just six strokes behind the winner.
Carter Bell of Saskatoon tied for 20th for SAU, he carded rounds of 76, 73, and 78, Regina’s Will Blake was tied for 39th after back-to-back rounds of 77 and a 79 in the final round.
The SAU trio will find out Sunday (April 26) if the team will compete in Regionals. If not, Cote and Blake’s tenure at SAU will come to an end.
Another pair of excellent collegiate careers are ending with Waskesiu junior graduates Alex Swinnerton and Guillermo Salazar. The duo has been mainstays at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) over the last four years. The Crimson Hawks did not have their best week in Bedford, Pennsylvania for the Bedford Springs Invitational on April 20 and 21 at Bedford Springs Resort. Salazar, who hails from Calgary, Alberta, but spent his summers in Waskesiu tied for 44th after signing for rounds of 74 and 79. Saskatoon’s Swinnerton carded a 79 and 76 to finish in a tie for 56th.
IUP was 11th as a team. The Crimson Hawks expect to be invited to the NCAA DII Atlantic/East Regional from May 7 to 9 at the Sunnehanna Country Club in Johnstown, Pennsylvania.
Saskatoon’s Ben Staines was also in the field in Bedford competing as an individual alongside the Mount Aloysius College Monties. Staines shot 80 and 86, he was tied for 89th.
Mount Aloysius will be in Chardon, Ohio on April 26 and 27 for the Caschera/DiCillo Classic at Sand Ridge Golf Club in their next event.
Cole Taylor’s junior season at Park University concluded this week at the GSAC Conference Championships in Lompoc, California at La Purisima Golf Course on April 20 and 21. The Nipawin, Saskatchewan product shot 79, 80, and 78 to leave himself in a tie for 24th.
Park was seventh in the team competition. Taylor was awarded with his first All-Conference Team honour thanks to two top 10 and a top 5 finish this year.
Ella Kozak’s first season with the Div. 1 University of Idaho Vandals wrapped up at the Big Sky Conference Championship in Litchfield, Arizona at Wigwam Golf Course on April 21 and 22. After posting back-to-back rounds of 73 in the first two rounds, the Yorkton, Saskatchewan resident carded an 81 in the third round landing in a tie for 28th place overall.
The Vandals were sixth overall, which were ranked in the conference going into the event.
The rookie season for reigning Saskatchewan amateur women’s champion Chloe Wills at Drury University. The Kyle, Saskatchewan native was in Peru, Indianna on April 17 to 19 for the GLVC Tournament at Rock Hollow Golf Course. She shot 77, 75, and 85 for a solid tie for 22nd overall.
The Panthers were seventh as team missing out on the final day matchplay round that would have allowed them to compete for a medal.
The Hannibal-Lagrange University Trojans were in action on April 20 and 21 including Swift Current’s Ayden Ross. Hannibal-Lagrange was in Melbourne, Arkansas at Copper’s Hawk Golf Club for the American Midwest Conference Championships.
The Elmwood Golf Club member played fantastically, posting rounds of 79, 76, and 79, leaving Ross with a tie for 15th place overall. The team was fourth.
The event put an end to Ross’ rookie year in Missouri.
Justin Miller of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and the Southwestern Community College (SCC) Spartans also had an event this week. SCC was in Plymouth, Indianna for the NJCAA Div. II National Championships at Swan Lake Resort.
The Riverside Country Club member was competing for the Spartans ‘B’ team and shot rounds of 81 and 84 leaving him in a tie for 60th.
Miller’s team was 12th, his teammates competing on the ‘A’ team were fifth.
That was the end of the SCC spring season.