McLean County Times

Illinois Wesleyan University women's golf assistant coach Craig Onsrud has been recognized as the Golf Pride Women's Golf Coaches Association Assistant Coach of the Year, announced by the WGCA on June 7. This marks the second time Onsrud has received this honor, with his first accolade coming in 2021.

Under Onsrud's guidance, alongside head coach Patrick Freeman, the Illinois Wesleyan Titans had an outstanding season. The team achieved a historic victory at the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW), winning by the largest margin in league history. They also tied for sixth nationally, marking their highest finish since 2011.

"Craig is invaluable to our program," said Freeman. "He does so much to ensure that we provide a great student-athlete experience and compete at the highest of levels."

The team's starting five players—Emma Thorman, Lexi Onsrud, Macy Ludwig, Jadyn Spinks, and Jacque O'Neill—achieved a record-breaking average of 305.2 strokes per round over more than 70 rounds together. The team set records for scoring across various hole formats throughout the season.

Individual achievements were notable as well. Thorman finished third at the national tournament with a single-season average of 74.90 strokes per round—the best in program history—and broke several other records during her career. Spinks placed second at the CCIW Championship with a notable performance.

Ludwig set a new single-round record with a five-under-par score at an April tournament and extended her career record for eagles. O'Neill broke another long-standing individual record during the NCAA Championship.

Onsrud has volunteered his time with Illinois Wesleyan since 2001 while serving as head golf professional at Ironwood Golf Course in Normal, Illinois. He is also a three-time Central Illinois PGA "Teaching Professional of the Year." His impact on both individuals and teams has been widely acknowledged by players like Emma Thorman and Lexi Onsrud who praised his dedication to their development both on and off the course.