Willamette is Ranked 21st in NCAA Division III in Men's Golf

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- The Willamette University men's golf team began this past week's two events ranked #21 in the Bushnell/Golfweek NCAA Division III Coaches Poll. It was the first poll of the 2022-23 season. Willamette entered a "B" team at the Pacific Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 17 and Sunday, Sept. 18. The "A" team for the Bearcats competed and took second place, just one stroke out of the lead, at the Bulldog Fall Invitational, hosted by the University of Redlands on Monday, Sept. 19 and Tuesday, Sept. 20.

The Bearcats will be represented by their "A" team and their "B" team at the Wildcat Invitational this weekend on Saturday, Sept. 24, and Sunday, Sept. 25. Linfield University is hosting the tournament at Michelbook Country Club in McMinnville, Oregon.

In the NCAA Division III Coaches Poll, defending national champion Methodist College (N.C.) was ranked #1 with 369 points and 13 first place votes. Emory University (Ga.) was #2 with one first place vote and 341 points. Huntingdon College (Ala.) followed at #3 with 340 points, while Carnegie Mellon University (Pa.) was #4 with 289 points. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (Calif.) held the #5 ranking, with the remaining first place vote and 278 points.

Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, Willamette and the University of Texas-Dallas were the three Region VII teams in the poll. UT-Dallas was ranked #25. Also receiving votes but not in the Top 25 were Region VII opponents Concordia University (Texas), Trinity University (Texas), McMurry University (Texas), University of Dallas (Texas), Pomona-Pitzer Colleges (Calif.), University of Redlands (Calif.), LeTourneau University (Texas), Southwestern University (Texas), and Texas Lutheran University.