CLEVELAND, OH – The 2023 NCAC Men’s and Women’s Golf Championships will tee off next weekend, April 28-30, on the North Course of the Westfield Country Club in Westfield Center, Ohio. The College of Wooster will serve as the host institution for the 54-hole tournament, with 18 holes being played on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, respectively.
Two-time defending NCAC women’s champion Denison collected five of the six first-place votes for 33 total points to top the pre-championship poll following balloting of the league coaches. Five-time NCAC champion DePauw claimed second with a total of 29 points, while Wittenberg and Wooster tied for third garnering 23 points apiece with the Tigers garnering the final first-place vote. Ohio Wesleyan (12) and Hiram (6) rounded out this year’s six-team field.
The Big Red enter the 2023 NCAC Women’s Golf Championships ranked No. 16 in the latest Mizuno Women’s Golf Coaches Association (WGCA) top-25 rankings. Denison has compiled four top-six team finishes this season, including two this spring at the Savannah Invitational (March 6-7) and the Max and Susan Stith Invitational (April 3-4). The Big Red are led by senior Laine Hursh (Chardon, OH/Chardon), who captured a runner-up finish at the 2022 NCAC Championship and was an All-NCAC first-team honoree. Joining her are fellow All-NCAC first-teamers in sophomore Ella McRoberts (Venetia, PA/Peters Township) and junior Kate Griffin (Colorado Springs, CO/The Colorado Springs School). McRoberts was named the 2022 NCAC Women's Golf Newcomer of the Year after finishing third at the conference championship a season ago, while Griffin captured a fourth-place finish. Senior Julia Shafir (Highland Park, IL/Highland Park), who finished sixth last year, also returns after earning All-NCAC second-team honors in 2022.
Wittenberg, the winners of 11 NCAC men’s titles, received seven first-place votes and totaled 63 points to top the pre-championship poll voted on by the league coaches. Defending champion Kenyon took second in the voting, collecting the final first-place vote and 53 points overall. Denison was tabbed third, compiling 49 total points, while DePauw received 37 points for fourth and Wabash and Wooster tied for fifth with 29 points apiece. Ohio Wesleyan (19) and Hiram (9) rounded out this year’s eight-team field.
The Wittenberg Tigers head into the NCAC Men’s Golf Championship ranked eighth in the latest Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) Bushnell/Golfweek DIII Coaches Poll. Kenyon is also receiving votes in the latest GCAA polling. The Tigers head into the NCAC championship with four tournament victories on the season, including the Ted Barclay Invitational (Sept. 3-4), the Wabash Invitational (Oct. 10-11), the Wittenberg Classic (Oct. 16-17) and the DIII Showcase (April 10-11). Wittenberg junior J.F. Aber (Pittsburgh, PA/Sewickley Academy), sophomore Matthew Mattioli (Cheswick, PA/Fox Chapel Area) and senior Evan DiSanto (Cincinnati, OH/Elder) look to contend again after finishing in the top 10 of last year’s conference championship event. Aber and Mattioli earned All-NCAC first-team accolades after tying for fifth last season, while DiSanto rounded out the top 10.
Friday's action starts with the women teeing off on hole one starting at 8:00 a.m., while the men tee off on hole one starting at 9:30 a.m. Tee times for Saturday begin at 12:00 p.m. for the men on the 10th hole and 12:15 p.m. for the women on the first hole, while tee times for Sunday are slated for 12:00 p.m. on the first hole for the men and 12:15 p.m. on the 10th hole for the women. Westfield Country Club's North Course is a par-70 layout. The men will be using tee one on the North Course scorecard for all 18 holes. The women will be using tee three on the North Course scorecard for holes 1-6 and 8-15 and tee four for hole 7 and holes 16-18. NCAC tee markers will be used and they are blue for the men and red for the women.
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2023 NCAC Women's Golf
Pre-Championship Coaches' Poll
|
| Rank |
School (1st place votes) |
Points |
| 1. |
Denison (5) |
33 |
| 2. |
DePauw |
29 |
| T3. |
Wittenberg (1) |
23 |
| T3. |
Wooster |
23 |
| 5. |
Ohio Wesleyan |
12 |
| 6. |
Hiram |
6 |
|
2023 NCAC Men's Golf
Pre-Championship Coaches' Poll |
| Rank |
School (1st place votes) |
Points |
| 1. |
Wittenberg (7) |
63 |
| 2. |
Kenyon (1) |
53 |
| 3. |
Denison |
49 |
| 4. |
DePauw |
37 |
| T5. |
Wabash |
29 |
| T5. |
Wooster |
29 |
| 7. |
Ohio Wesleyan |
19 |
| 8. |
Hiram |
9 |
|