McLean County Times

The Illinois Wesleyan University men's golf team clinched first place at the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) Championship, ensuring its position in the NCAA Division III Tournament. The competition took place at WeaverRidge Golf Club, Peoria, Illinois, where the Titans maintained a consistent lead throughout.

Junior Michael Spitzer earned the title of medalist champion with a tournament score of 208, finishing eight-under par. Spitzer's performance marks the fourth consecutive season a Titan golfer has led the conference finals. His teammates also performed well, with Senior Griffin Pohl finishing second and earning the CCIW Men's Golfer of the Year title. Pohl completed the tournament at seven-under par.

Additionally, Senior Quinn Clifford finished fifth, while Junior Juney Bai tied for seventh and Junior Aidan Healy tied for ninth. All five Titan golfers achieved All-CCIW status.

"The Green and White bested the field from start to finish behind rounds of 280, 280, and 287 to tie the conference championship scoring record set by IWU a season ago," according to the released statement. The team's overall performance resulted in a combined score of 847, 17-under par, surpassing competitors Millikin and Wheaton.

The Titans also saw Bai and Clifford take the Elite 26 Award for their academic achievements, further highlighting the team's dual focus on athletics and academics. Freshman Pablo Castro was also recognized with the RESPECT Award, and Jim Ott was named CCIW Coach of the Year for the 12th time.

Illinois Wesleyan University’s victory grants them an automatic spot in the upcoming NCAA Division III National Championship, which will be held from May 20-23 in Penfield, New York.