Illinois Wesleyan 2006-07 Men's Golf Stories

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May 24
Illinois Wesleyan senior golfer Drew Kepple has been elected to the first team of the men's at-large all-District V college division academic squad and will join representatives of seven other districts on the ESPN: The Magazine Academic All-America national ballot. At-large athletes are chosen from among the sports of swimming, golf, tennis, ice hockey and gymnastics. Kepple (Tremont HS) has a 3.90 grade point average as a biology major and was recently chosen as one of 43 Cleveland Golf All-America Scholars for Division III announced by the Golf Coaches Association of America. This season he had a 78.4 stroke average with five top 20 finishes in 14 rounds and had a two-day 163 at the recent NCAA Division III national tournament. He was the medalist in 8-team Manchester Fall Classic with 147 (+5) two-day total and tied for 15th in CCIW tourney. He has earned four letters, is the captain for this year's team that played in the school's first NCAA Division III national tourney and had a 77.2 average in 57 career rounds. The all-district teams were chosen by a vote of members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) in Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario. To be considered for the ESPN: The Magazine Academic All-America squads, players must be of at least sophomore standing, have a cumulative grade-point average of 3.2 (of 4.0), and be a starter or first-line reserve.

May 22
Senior Ryan Gumbel was chosen as the “Most Valuable Player” for the 2007 Illinois Wesleyan men’s golf team. Gumbel, who was also the winner of the team’s “Titan Award,” finished with a 76.9 scoring average in 17 rounds and had six finishes in the top 17, including a tie for seventh at the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin tournament which earned him all-conference honors. Sophomore Mike DeRuntz also earned all-conference honors as he finished a team-best sixth in the league tourney with a four-day score of 313. IWU, who finished second in the conference tourney, made its first-ever team appearance in the NCAA Division III championships but missed the two-day cut and finished 27th. Head coach Jim Ott awarded letters to eight players, six of whom return for next season. In addittion to Gumbel and DeRuntz, the lettermen are Drew Kepple, Mark Niemann, Bennett Blakeman, Nick Cuca, Michael Hasselbring and Doug Keller.

May 16
The Illinois Wesleyan men's golf team finished 27th after the second day of NCAA Division III championships, at Hawthorns Golf and Country Club and Prairie View Golf Club, in Fishers and Carmel, Ind., on Wed., May 16. Only the low 23 teams made the cut to participate in the final two days. IWU's team score is 647 and the leader is St. John's (Minn.) at 600. Ryan Gumbel and Mike DeRuntz both had a two-day 160 total and are tied for 75th. Drew Kepple was tied for 103rd at 163, Bennett Blakeman was tied for 113th at 164 and Doug Keller tied for 136th with 168.The individual leader is St. John's Clinton Dammann with a score of 143.

May 15
The Illinois Wesleyan men's golf team is tied for 22nd place (of 35) after day one in the NCAA Division III championships, at Hawthorns Golf and Country Club and Prairie View Golf Club, in Fishers and Carmel, Ind. The Titans' team score is 321 (+33) and in first place is Rhodes at 299 (+11). Mike DeRuntz carded a 76 and is tied for 32nd while Drew Kepple had an 80 and is tied for 86th place. Ryan Gumbel (82, T-107), Doug Keller and Bennett Blakeman (both 83, T-116) all represent IWU in the four-day tournament. The individual leader is Rode McElreath of McMurry, who shot a 3-under par 69. The field will be cut to the low 23 teams after play on Wed., May 16.

May 15
Illinois Wesleyan senior Drew Kepple is one of 43 Cleveland Golf All-America Scholars for Division III announced by the Golf Coaches Association of America. To be eligible for Cleveland Golf All-America Scholar status an individual must be a junior or senior academically and competed in at least two full years at the collegiate level, participate in 70-percent of his teams competitive rounds or compete in the NCAA Championship, have a stroke average under 79.0 in Division III and maintain a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 3.2.  A recipient must also be of high moral character and be in good standing at his college or university. Kepple (Tremont HS) has a 3.90 grade point average as a biology major. Prior to the NCAA tournament, he is averaging 77.9 in 12 rounds with five top 20 finishes. He was the medalist in 8-team Manchester Fall Classic with 147 (+5) two-day total and tied for 15th in CCIW tourney. He has earned four letters, is the captain for this year's team that is playing in the school's first NCAA Division III national tourney and has a 77.2 average in 55 career rounds.

May 7
For the first time ever, the Illinois Wesleyan men’s golf team has been selected to participate in the NCAA Division III championships. The Titans, who finished second to Carthage in last weekend’s College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin championships, earned a “Pool C” qualification to the NCAA tournament, which will be May 15-18, at Hawthorns Golf and Country Club and Prairie View Golf Club, in Fishers and Carmel, Indiana. The four-day, 72-hole championships are co-hosted by Anderson University and the Hamilton County Convention and Visitors Bureau. Sophomore Mike DeRuntz and senior Ryan Gumbel were the top IWU finishers in the CCIW tourney, finishing sixth and seventh, respectively. Gumbel has a season stroke average of 76.5 through 15 rounds and DeRuntz is at 77.1. The team leader is sophomore Michael Hasselbring, who has a 76.0 average in 10 rounds with two top five finishes.

May 4-5
The Illinois Wesleyan men's golf team finished second in the 2007 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin golf championships, finished on May 5 at the TPC at Deere Run course in Silvis, Ill. IWU had a four-day score of 1236, trailing only Carthage at 1232. All-conference performers for the Titans were Mike DeRuntz, who finished sixth with a total of 313 and shot a final day 79, one of only six players to score in the 70s on the tourney's final day, and Ryan Gumbel, who tied for seventh with a 314 total. The medalist was Augustana's Eric Johnson with a 307 total.

April 20-21
In what appears to be a two-team race at the halfway point (Sat., April 21) of the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin men's golf championships, Illinois Wesleyan leads Carthage by a team score of 612 to 613 with North Park a distant third at 633. Drew Kepple is the individual leader with a two-day score of 151 at the Bolingbrook (Ill.) Golf Club while Bennett Blakeman is tied for second with a total of 152. Ryan Gumbel is tied for 10th with his total of 157. The tourney continues with rounds three and four on May 4-5 at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Ill.

April 13
The Illinois Wesleyan men's golf teams are in first and second place of 22 squads after day one at the Big Blue Classic, held April 13 at Decatur's Scovill Golf Course. Michael Hasselbring is in first place with a 3-under round of 68 while four other Titans are in the top 10 - Mark Niemann (t2, 70), Nick Cuca (t5, 72) and Bennett Blakeman and Alex Warner (t9, 73). The Titans first team posted a 289 total and the second team is at 294, ahead of third place Lindenwood at 298. The tournament is scheduled to conclude on Sat., April 14.

April 2
The Illinois Wesleyan men's golf team finished fourth of 20 teams in the Duhawk Spring Invitational, held at Thunder Hills Golf Course in Pesota, Iowa on Monday, April 2. The tourney was shortened to one day due to rain on April 1. Sophomore Mike DeRuntz carded an even par 72 and finished tied for fourth and senior Drew Kepple tied for 13th with his 75. As a team the Titans had 300 and Central and Luther each had 297 totals with Central winning the tourney tiebreaker. IWU plays next on April 6-7 at the Augustana Invitational at Rock Island's Highland Springs Golf Course.

March 23-25
Illinois Wesleyan finished fifth of 24 teams in the Jekyll Island (Ga.) Collegiate Invitational, held March 23-25. The Titans had a team score of 908 as Methodist won the event with an 875 total. IWU's Ryan Gumbel carded 72-75-73 for a three-day total of 220 and a 10th place tie. Mark Niemann shot a 72 on the final day to equal the team low for the weekend and finished tied for 45th with a 230 total. Oglethorpe's Taylor Urbanski was the tourney medalist with a 3-under score of 213 in the three-day event. The men's season continues this weekend at the Loras Invitational in Dubuque, Iowa.

October 26
The Illinois Wesleyan men's golf team is ranked No. 20, an improvement of four spots from the previous ranking, in the.latest NCAA Division III GCAA/Bridgestone Coaches Poll. Methodist leads the poll, followed by Guilford, Emory, Huntingdon and Rhodes. The GCAA/Bridgestone poll is voted on by a panel of head coaches at the Division III level and the next poll will be released Nov. 16.

October 1
The Illinois Wesleyan men's golf teams finished first and second at the Manchester Fall Invitational, held on Oct. 1 at Honeywell Golf Course in Wabash, Ind. Drew Kepple (pictured) fired a 5-over par 147 to claim medalist honors in the tourney while Chris Green and Nick Cuca tied for second with 151 scores. Matt Wennmaker had the low second round score of 71. As a team, IWU had 600 while the other IWU squad had 607, well ahead of third place DePauw at 614. The Titans' schedule will resume in the spring.

September 25
Playing in the second of its three fall tournaments, the Illinois Wesleyan men's golf team finished third of 10 at the Franklin College Invitational, held at The Legends of Indiana Course on Sept. 24-25 in Franklin. Sophomore Bennett Blakeman  had a two-over 146 to finish second while Nick Cuca tied for third at 147. Other IWU players in the top 10 were Michael Hasselbring (tie for sixth, 148) and Ryan Gumbel tie for 10th, 149). IWU's team score was 606, behind only Marian (591) and Transylvania (594).

September 16-17
Playing in one of its three fall tournaments, the Illinois Wesleyan "Green" team finished second and the "White" team finished third of 20 teams competing in the North Country Classic at Hunters Ridge Golf Course in Marion, Iowa, on Sept. 16-17. The "Green" squad finished with a score of 607 while the "White" team had 615, both the best of the Division III schools in the tourney. The team champion was NAIA St. Ambrose with a score of 598. "Green" team's Michael Hasselbring finished tied for third with a two-day 148 total and "White" team's Matthew Wennmaker was fifth at 149.

July 2006
Three members of the Illinois Wesleyan men's golf team have qualified for the Illinois State Amateur tournament, to be held at Edgewood Valley Country Club in LaGrange August 15-17. Senior Drew Kepple (Tremont HS) qualified with a 70 at the qualifier at Quail Meadows Golf Course in Washington, while sophomore Michael Hasselbring (Bloomington, Tri-Valley HS) qualified with a 72 at the Panther Creek Country Club (Springfield) qualifier and sophomore Bennett Blakeman (Burr Ridge, Lyons Township HS) had a 73 at the Sanctuary Golf Club in New Lenox. With a score of 73 at the Winnetka Golf Club, Blakeman also qualified for the Illinois Open Championship, which will be held July 31 to August 2 at The Glen Club. Other Titans who qualified for the Illinois Open were sophomores Mike DeRuntz (Western Springs, Lyons Township HS), who shot a 69 at Winnetka, and Chris Green (Cary, Cary-Grove HS), who carded a 74 at the White Deer Run Golf Club qualifier in Vernon Hills.