June 8
For the third straight year, Billy Smith was chosen as the “Most Valuable Player” for the Illinois Wesleyan men’s golf team. Smith averaged 75.8 strokes and tied for fifth at the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin tourney. Chad Golembeck, who was second on the 2004 team with a 77.0 average, and Smith were all-CCIW selections. In another team honor, senior Bryan Noonan won the “Titan Pride” award and junior Eric Hellman and Mickey Stefan were voted co-captains for the 2004-05 team. Hellman was chosen as a Cleveland Golf Division III All-American Scholar. IWU became the first school to win four straight CCIW men’s golf titles since Carthage dominated the league from 1991 to 1994. Coach Jim Ott awarded letters to seven players. In addition to Smith, Golembeck Noonan, Stefan and Hellman, the lettermen are Ryan Gumbel and Drew Kepple.
April 30-May 1
For the fourth straight year, the Illinois Wesleyan men's golf team has won the championship of the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin, played at Pontiac Elks Golf Course April 30-May 1. The Titans finished with a two-day total of 618, topping Augustana (623) and Millikin (626). First-day leader North Park finished fourth. Seniors Chad Golembeck and Billy Smith tied for fifth with 153 totals, while Eric Hellman was eighth (155). Drew Kepple (tie-11th, 158) and Bryan Noonan (tie-17th, 159) were others on the CCIW championship team. Trent Martin of Augustana was the medalist at 148.
The last school to win four straight CCIW men’s golf titles was Carthage from 1991 to 1994. Millikin won eight straight from 1983 to 1990 and Augustana won five in a row from 1978 to 1982.
April 24
The Illinois Wesleyan men's golf team finished third in its own 23-team IWU Invitational at Ironwood Golf Course, shooting 298-304--602 to finish 12 strokes behind champion St. Ambrose. UW-Eau Claire took second at 596. The Titans were led by senior Billy Smith, who carded rounds of 72-73--145), who tied for second, four strokes behind winner Mike Greer of UW-Eau Claire, who had 69-72--141. Chad Golembeck tied for seventh at 149. The IWU "White" team placed eighth with a 618 total, led by Matt Sump who tied for 13th with a 151 total (71-80).
April 17
Led by the hot play of tournament medalist Bryan Noonan, the Illinois Wesleyan men's golf team captured the championship of the Big Blue Classic at Hickory Point Golf Course in Forsyth Sat., April 17. Noonan was 6-under par through 11 holes before finishing at 3-under 69. His two-day total of 144 was two shots better than teammate Billy Smith (76-146) in second place. IWU shot a 298 Saturday for a 600 total. Millikin was second at 300-606, while the IWU B team was seventh in the 23-team event. Drew Kepple was also in the top 10, tying for seventh with a 149.
April 16
Billy Smith is tied for the lead among the individuals and Illinois Wesleyan is tied for first as a team (with McKendree) after day one of the Big Blue Classic at Hickory Point Golf Course at Forsyth on Fri., April 16. Smith carded a 2-under par 70 to share the top spot individually with McKendree's Marshall Witsberger. The Titans 'A' team also had Bryan Noonan at 75, Eric Hellman at 77, while Justin Koscher's 76 led the IWU 'B' team to a seventh place tie. Drew Kepple shot a 77 for IWU on day one.
April 10
The Illinois Wesleyan men's golf team improved to finish fifth in the Wartburg Invitational at Waverly, Iowa, on April 9-10. The Titans, who were in ninth place after day one of the tourney, shot a collective 302 to finish at 602, well behind champion Central (Iowa) at 578. Bryan Noonan shot a final-round 74 to finish tied for 16th while Eric Hellman tied for 21st with his 150 score. Mickey Stefan also carded a 74 on the final day. The individual medalist was Derek Pirkl of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, who shot one-under 141 for the two days.
April 9
The Illinois Wesleyan men's golf team is in ninth place after day one of the Wartburg Invitational at Waverly, Iowa, on Fri., April 9. The Titans' team score is 300, trailing the leader Wisconsin-Eau Claire by 12 shots. Eric Hellman is tied for ninth individually with en even-par round of 72 while teammate Bryan Noonan is tied for 29th with a 75. The final round will be on Sat., April 10.
April 4
The Illinois Wesleyan men's golf team finished 11th of 19 teams in the Augustana Invitational at Highland Spring Golf Course in Rock Island, held April 2-3. Billy Smith was the Titans' low finisher with a two-round total of 150 (74-76), good for a tie for 24th. Senior Chad Golembeck had IWU's low Saturday round of 75 and finished tied for 33rd with a 152 tournament total. As a team, IWU had 614 (304-310) and was 38 strokes off the pace of the chanpion Central (Iowa) with a 576 two-day standard. The medalist was UW-Eau Claire's Mike Greer with a 140 (69-71) on the par 72 course.
March 28
The Illinois Wesleyan men's golf team breezed to the team championship with four of the top five individual finishers in the Eureka College Classic March 26-27 at El Paso Golf Club. As a team, IWU shot a final day 305 for a 605 two-day total, outdistancing second place Blackburn by 29 strokes. Mickey Stefan was the medalist with a two-day 149 total, while Billy Smith was second at 151. Eric Hellman shot a team-low 74 on March 27 to finish third at 152 and Chad Golembeck was fifth at 153.
March 27
Mickey Stefan is the individual leader and the Illinois Wesleyan men's golf team has the team lead after the first day of the Eureka Invitational at the El Paso Golf Course on Sat., March 26. Stefan shot a one-over par 72 to hold the first day lead and IWU's Billy Smith is tied for second with a 73. Other IWU scores were from Chad Golembeck (75), Eric Hellman (78), and Ryan Gumbel (82). As a team, the Titans shot a 300, 13 better than second place Blackburn and Wheaton. The final day is Sat., March 27.
March 21
The Illinois Wesleyan men's golf team finished in eighth place in the three-day Golden Isles Invitational at Jekyll Island, Ga., on Sunday (March 21). The Titans had a 304 in the final round to finish at 919. Senior Billy Smith led the Titans, shooting a final round 75 for a total of 226, tying him for 16th place. Mickey Stefan shot a team-best 73 on the final day and finished tied for 18th with a 227 total. In other IWU scores, Drew Kepple tied for 43rd (80-234), Eric Hellman tied for 50th (76-235) and Ryan Gumbel tied for 85th (82-243). Methodist (N.C.) won the team title with an 882 and their player James Stewart was the medalist with a 211.
March 20
The Illinois Wesleyan men's golf team fell from sixth place to 10th after the second round of the Golden Isles Invitational at Oleander Golf Course in Jekyll Island, Ga., on Sat., March 20. The Titans shot 310 as a team for a 615 total behind Billy Smith, who shot a 78 for a two-day score of 151, tied for 18th individually entering Sunday's final round. IWU other scorers are Mickey Stefan and Eric Hellman carded 77s for the low IWU second round scores. Stefan has 154, tied with teammate Drew Kepple. Hellman stands at 159 and Ryan Gumbel is at 161. Methodist (NC) is the team leader at 580 and their player James Stewart is the individual leader at 139.
March 19
Illinois Wesleyan senior Billy Smith and freshman Drew Kepple each shot 73s to finish in a tie for 10th place after the first day of the three-day Golden Isles Collegiate Invitational at Oleander Golf Course in Jekyll Island, Ga. The two have the Titans in sixth place with a 305 total in the 24-team tournament, the Titans' spring opener. IWU's Mickey Stefan carded a 77, good for 39th place, while Eric Hellman (82) is tied 88th and Ryan Gumbel (83) is tied for 94th. Greensboro (N.C.) leads the tourney with a 291 behind Brandon White, who along with James Stewart of Methodist (N.C.) shot the top individual scores of 69. Six of the top 10 teams and 12 of the top 25 are playing in the tournament.
