The nationally-ranked Saint John’s golf team makes its 11th consecutive trip to the NCAA Division III Championship this Tuesday-Friday, May 11-14, in Hershey, Pa. The Johnnies are scheduled to begin play at 8:30 a.m. CST Tuesday at the Hershey C.C., followed by second-round action at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Hershey Links G.C. The field of 37 teams is then cut to 23 for Thursday and Friday’s rounds at Hershey Links. – Live Results | Championship Website
Preview Video:
-Head Coach Bob Alpers (2:45)
A LOOK AT THE JOHNNIES: No. 6 Saint John’s defeated St. Thomas 8.5-1.5 in match play on April 28 at the Pebble Creek G.C. in Becker. The Johnnies won their last tournament, the SJU Spring Invitational, with a school-record 854 (-2) on April 25. For the first time in school history, Alpers’ crew enters the national tournament with an undefeated mark against Division III opponents. The lone losses were to Division II Bemidji State in the first meet of the 2009-10 season and to Division I Arizona State in the Johnnies’ first competition of spring.
Sophomore Tony Krogen (Marshall, Minn.) leads the MIAC with a 73.2 stroke average in 18 rounds of play, which is the third-best season total in SJU history. Senior Ben Vangsness (Alexandria, Minn.) and freshman Dennis Granath (Bandhagen, Sweden/Farsta Gymnasium) are tied for third in the league with a 74.1 stroke average, followed by freshman Mark Giorgi (Red Wing, Minn.) in fifth (74.6). Junior Ben Cahill (Grand Rapids, Minn.) rounds out the Johnnies’ five with a respectable 75.2 stroke average.
The freshman tandem of Giorgi and Granath leads Division III with a combined 74.4 stroke average. As a team, the Johnnies are second in the nation in both adjusted scoring average (73.86) and average drop score (78.02).