Wallace State golf in strong contention for 1st national title as NJCAA Division I championships in Iowa reaches 3rd round
HANCEVILLE, ALA. – Wallace State’s golf team has carried the momentum from winning a state title into the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division I championships at the Spirit Hollow Golf Course in Burlington, Iowa.
The Lions hit the course for the third round this afternoon, sitting only five strokes back of first-place Indian Hills (Iowa) Community College. Wallace State opened the four-day event with a 13-over par 301 on Tuesday and shot 297 on Wednesday for a two-day total of 598.
Wallace State entered Thursday afternoon’s play with a seven-stroke lead over third-place Iowa Western Community College.
Wallace State freshman Cooper Brown opened the tournament with a one-under 71 on Tuesday, tying him for first place after the first round. He added a 76 on Wednesday and enters today’s action with a 3-over 147, good for third individually.
Sophomore Aksel Olsen, last year’s NJCAA Division I individual national champion and Arnold Palmer Award winner from Wallace State, is on Brown’s heels, tied for fourth place with a 148.
Wallace State also had Will McDowell in the top ten after carding a 149 after two rounds. Chris Atchley and Patrick Twesme are also competing for the Lions.
The Lions qualified for the program’s 19th national tournament appearance with a runner-up finish at the NJCAA District 4 tournament in mid-April. Wallace State topped that feat on April 29, by winning its 11th Alabama Community College Conference (ACCC)/Region 22 championship and first since 2008. The Lions began the state tournament on fire, leading by 25 strokes after the first round. They went on to beat defending national champion Central Alabama by seven strokes for the state title.
Wallace State finished seventh at the national tournament last season. Dan York’s squads have finished national runner-up twice in his Hall of Fame career, achieving the feat in 1993 and 1996.
For more information about Wallace State athletics, visit wallacestate.edu.
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Russell Moore
Staff Writer
Wallace State Community College
P.O. Box 2000, Hanceville, AL 35077
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Visit us online at www.wallacestate.edu