Titans' Green Second, Team 12th at NCAA Tourney

Illinois Wesleyan junior Chris Green (Cary, Ill., Cary-Grove HS) finished second in the national NCAA Division III men’s golf championships and the IWU team tied for 12th in the four day event in Braselton, Ga.

Playing on the par 71, 7030-yard Chateau Course at the Chateau Elan Resort, Green carded a final day 2-over par 73 to finish at 290, five shots behind medalist Scott Harris Jr. of St. John Fisher College, who finished with 285 after a final day 75.

As a team IWU had a 310 on the last day and finished with a 1235 total. St. John’s (Minn.) scored a final day 291 to come from behind and win the championship with an 1192 total, topping second place Redlands (Calif.) at 1195.

Junior Bennett Blakeman (Burr Ridge, Ill., Lyons Township) tied for 33rd with a 304 total after a final day score of 80. Other Titan finishers were Matt Wennmaker [Oregon, Ill., HS] (tie-103, 321 total), Mike DeRuntz [Western Springs, Ill., Lyons Township] (109th place, 325 total) and Doug Keller [Manteno, Ill., Bishop McNamara HS] (tie-113, 329 total).

Green Honored as All-American

As a result of his second place finish in the NCAA Division III national championships, Illinois Wesleyan junior Chris Green was named to the first team of the PING All-American team chosen by members of the Golf Coaches Association of America. Green was one of 11 players named to the first team. He had a season scoring average of 75.0 in 22 rounds with three top five finishes.

In addition, IWU's Mike DeRuntz and Matt Wennmaker were among the 12 golfers chosen to the PING all-Central region team. DeRuntz, a junior, had a 76.1 average in 22 rounds, and Wennmaker, a sophomore, averaged 75.8 in 22 rounds this season.

DeRuntz Earns Scholar Honor

Junior Mike DeRuntz is one of 41 Division III golfers to be named Cleveland Golf All-America Scholars, as announced by the Golf Coaches Association of America.

DeRuntz is a business major with a 3.53 grade-point average. He had a 74.9 stroke average in 18 rounds heading into the NCAA Division III national tournament this week.

To be eligible for Cleveland Golf All-America Scholar status an individual must be a junior or senior academically and compete in at least two full years at the collegiate level, participate in 70-percent of his team’s competitive rounds or compete in the NCAA championships, 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.