Illinois Wesleyan 2007-08 Men's Golf Stories

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Illinois Wesleyan Golf Teams in Spring 2008 Rankings

May 17
As a result of his second place finish in the NCAA Division III national championships, Illinois Wesleyan junior Chris Green was named to the first team of the PING All-American team chosen by members of the Golf Coaches Association of America. Green was one of 11 players named to the first team. He had a season scoring average of 75.0 in 22 rounds with three top five finishes.
In addition, IWU's Mike DeRuntz and Matt Wennmaker were among the 12 golfers chosen to the PING all-Central region team. DeRuntz, a junior, had a 76.1 average in 22 rounds, and Wennmaker, a sophomore, averaged 75.8 in 22 rounds this season.

May 16
Illinois Wesleyan junior Chris Green (Cary, Ill., Cary-Grove HS) finished second in the national NCAA Division III men’s golf championships and the IWU team tied for 12th in the four day event in Braselton, Ga. Playing on the par 71, 7030-yard Chateau Course at the Chateau Elan Resort, Green carded a final day 2-over par 73 to finish at 290, five shots behind medalist Scott Harris Jr. of St. John Fisher College, who finished with 285 after a final day 75. As a team IWU had a 310 on the last day and finished with a 1235 total. St. John’s (Minn.) scored a final day 291 to come from behind and win the championship with an 1192 total, topping second place Redlands (Calif.) at 1195. Junior Bennett Blakeman (Burr Ridge, Ill., Lyons Township) tied for 33rd with a 304 total after a final day score of 80. Other Titan finishers were Matt Wennmaker [Oregon, Ill., HS] (tie-103, 321 total), Mike DeRuntz [Western Springs, Ill., Lyons Township] (109th place, 325 total) and Doug Keller [Manteno, Ill., Bishop McNamara HS] (tie-113, 329 total).

May 15
Illinois Wesleyan junior Mike DeRuntz (Western Springs, Ill., Lyons Township HS) is one of 41 Division III golfers to be named Cleveland Golf All-America Scholars, as announced by the Golf Coaches Association of America.
DeRuntz is a business major with a 3.53 grade-point average. He had a 74.9 stroke average in 18 rounds heading into the NCAA Division III national tournament this week.
To be eligible for Cleveland Golf All-America Scholar status an individual must be a junior or senior academically and compete in at least two full years at the collegiate level, participate in 70-percent of his team’s competitive rounds or compete in the NCAA championships, have a stroke average under 79.0 in Division III and maintain a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 3.2. A recipient must also be of high moral character and be in good standing at his college or university.

May 15
With one round remaining, the Illinois Wesleyan men’s golf team is in 12th place at the NCAA Division III national championships in Braselton, Ga., on Thursday, May 15. Playing on the par 71, 7030-yard Chateau Course at the Chateau Elan Resort, the Titans have a three-day team score of 925 after a third day total of 304. Illinois Wesleyan junior Chris Green (Cary, Ill., Cary-Grove HS) shot a 73 and is in second place with a 217 total, just seven shots behind the leader. Junior Bennett Blakeman (Burr Ridge, Ill., Lyons Township) is tied for 14th with a 224 total after shooting a 76 on the third day. The team leader after three rounds is St. John Fisher College with a team score of 893 and Redlands (Calif.) is second with 897. Scott Harris Jr. of St. John Fisher is the individual leader with a 3-under par total of 210 after carding a par 71 Thursday. The four-day tournament concludes Friday, May 16.

May 14
The Illinois Wesleyan men’s golf team shot up the leaderboard from 22nd place to 11th place after two rounds of the NCAA Division III national championships in Braselton, Ga., on Wednesday, May 14. Playing on the par 71, 7030-yard Chateau Course at the Chateau Elan Resort, the Titans tied for the fourth best team score of 298 on the second day of play and have a two-day total of 621. Illinois Wesleyan junior Chris Green (Cary, Ill., Cary-Grove HS) is in third place after a one-under par 70 left him at 144 for the tourney while junior Bennett Blakeman (Burr Ridge, Ill., Lyons Township) is tied for ninth with a 148 total after shooting a 73 on the second day. The team leader at the championships’ midway point is St. John Fisher College with a team score of 596 and Scott Harris Jr. of St. John Fisher is the individual leader with a 3-under par total of 139 after carding a par 71 Wednesday.

May 13
The Illinois Wesleyan men’s golf team is tied for 22nd after the first day of play at the NCAA Division III national championships in Braselton, Ga., on Tuesday, May 13. Playing on the par 71, 6378-yard Woodland Course at the Chateau Elan Resort, the Titans combined for a team score of 323. Illinois Wesleyan junior Chris Green (Cary, Ill., Cary-Grove HS) carded a 3-over par 74 and is in a tie for 17th while junior Bennett Blakeman (Burr Ridge, Ill., Lyons Township) shot 4-over 75 and is tied for 23rd. The first day team leader is LaVerne (Calif.) with a 290 total and Scott Harris Jr. of St. John Fisher College is the individual leader with a 3-under par 68.

May 3
After two straight seasons finishing second, the Illinois Wesleyan men's golf team recaptured the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin championships on Saturday, May 3. The Titans, winners of the tournament from 2001 to 2005, shot a final day 307 and finished with a four-day total of 1209 at Cantigny Golf Club in Wheaton, Ill. Wesleyan junior Chris Green (72-74-73-75-294) and Carthage's Tyler Wollberg (74-69-75-76-294) finished in a tie for first, but Green took home medalist honors by winning a four-hole sudden-death playoff. Other all-CCIW players for IWU were Bennett Blakeman (296) in third and Matt Wennmaker (304) in sixth. Defending champion Carthage placed second (1226) followed by Wheaton (1244). With the win IWU earns the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III men’s golf championship, held May 13-16 at the Chateau Elan Resort in Braselton, Ga.

May 2
After the third round at Wheaton's Cantigny Golf Club on Friday, May 2, the Illinois Wesleyan men's golf team leads the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin tournament. The Titans, winners of the tourney from 2001-05 and second place finishers the last two years, stand at 902, ahead of Carthage (910) in second and Wheaton (927) in third. Chris Green is in second place after a 73 with a three-day total of 219 and Bennett Blakeman shot a 75 and is in third at 222. Matt Wennmaker is in seventh (227), Doug Keller is in 14th place (235) and Mike DeRuntz (238) is in 18th place. The tournament concludes on Saturday, May 3, with the winner earning the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III men’s golf championship, May 13-16 at the Chateau Elan Resort in Braselton, Ga.

April 19
At the midway point, the Illinois Wesleyan men's golf team leads the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin tournament on Saturday, April 19 at Bolingbrook (Ill.) Golf Club. IWU, winners of the tourney from 2001-05 and second place finishers the last two years, has a team score of 590, one stroke ahead of two-time defending champion Carthage. Chris Green is in fourth place with a 2-over 146 total while Bennett Blakeman and Matt Wennmaker are tied for fifth with two-day scores of 3-over par 147. The tourney concludes May 2-3 at Wheaton's Cantigny Golf Club.

April 18
The Illinois Wesleyan men's golf team leads the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin tournament after the first day of competition on Friday, April 18 at Bolingbrook (Ill.) Golf Club. IWU, winners of the tourney from 2001-05 and second place finishers the last two years, has a team score of 294 and leads Millikin (303) and Carthage (304). Chris Green is in second place after a par 72 on the 6777-yard course and Bennett Blakeman is in third with a 73. Mike DeRuntz is tied for fourth with 74 and Matt Wennmaker and Doug Keller each carded 75s and are tied for 11th. The tourney continues April 19 then concludes May 2-3 at Wheaton's Cantigny Golf Club.

April 11
The Illinois Wesleyan men's golf team withdrew after day one of the Big Blue Spring Classic, held at Decatur's Red Tail Run Golf Course on Friday, April 11. The tournament was shortened to a 27-hole event with only nine played on Saturday, April 12. The Titans had a first day team score of 328, ahead of second place McKendree (337). Mike DeRuntz was one of only four players in the 23-team event to break 80, shooting a 79 that has him tied for second in the 113 player tourney. Chris Green is tied for ninth with 81 and Matt Wennmaker and Ryan Dorner (of the second IWU team) are tied for 11th with scores of 10-over par 82.

April 7
Based on his score on the back nine of the final day of play, Illinois Wesleyan's Mike DeRuntz was declared the medalist in the Duhawk Spring Invitational, held April 6-7 at The Meadows Golf Club in Asbury, Iowa. DeRuntz shot a final day 75 and tied with three others for a two-day total of 148 for the individual lead, including teammate Matt Wennmaker, who shot a second day 76. As a team the No. 6-nationally ranked Titans shot a 312 on day two for a total of 614, good for second place in the 22-team, 110-player tournament behind Central College (Iowa) with 603. Other IWU competitors were Chris Green (159, tie 23), Bennett Blakeman (160, tie 26) and Ryan Dorner (163, tie 43). The Titans play in the Millikin Invitational on April 11 and 12.

April 6
With a first round team score of 302, the Illinois Wesleyan men's golf team is in third place after the first day of the Duhawk Spring Invitational on Sunday, April 6. In first place is Carthage with a 299 score in the 22-team, 110-player tournament at The Meadows Golf Club in Asbury, Iowa. Matt Wennmaker shot an even par 72 on the 6675-yard course and is tied for second, while Mike DeRuntz carded a 73 and is tied for fifth. Bennett Blakeman (78, tie 28), Ryan Dorner (79, tie 40) and Chris Green (80, tie 49) are the other Titan competitors. The tourney concludes on Monday, April 7.

March 30-31
Junior Mike DeRuntz shot a two-under par 70 on the second day of the Gorlok Invitational for a two-day first place individual total of 141 as Illinois Wesleyan finished in first place in St. Louis March 30-31. The Titans' team score on the soggy course was 590, easily topping second place Maryville at 614. Ryan Dorner tied for second with a 146 (+4) total and Bennett Blakeman and Matt Wennmaker tied for fifth with totals of 147 (+5). All 10 of the IWU entrants finished in the top 37 of the 13-team, 82-person tournament. IWU plays next on April 6-7 at the Duhawk Invitational at Thunder Hills Country Club in Dubuque, Iowa.

March 21-23
The Illinois Wesleyan men's golf team finished fourth in the 26-team Jekyll Island (Ga.) Collegiate Invitational, held March 21-23 at the Oleander Golf Course. The Titans' three-day total was 901 as Methodist won the event with an 871 score. Wesleyan's Matt Wennmaker finished tied for 13th with a 224 total after a final day round of 75 on the par 72, 6521-yard course. Bennett Blakeman tied for 18th with a three-day 226 score and, in all, seven Titans finished in the top 40 scorers in the 144 player tournament. Methodist's Nick Bova was the medalist with a 5-under total of 211.

November 9
The Illinois Wesleyan women's and men's golf teams are ranked in the top 11 of the Division III polls published in the November 2 and 9 issues of Golf World magazine.The women's team, winners of six straight College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin championships, are ranked No. 5 for the second straight ranking period, up from No. 7 in the previous rankings. The men's team moved up to No. 11 from No. 13 after making an earlier jump (in October) to No. 13 from No. 25 after a three-tournament fall schedule in which the Titans finished first twice and second once. Methodist (N.C.) is the top ranked team in both the men's and women's coaches' polls.
Go here for November 9 Rankings

October 19
The Illinois Wesleyan women's and men's golf teams are ranked in the top 13 of the Division III polls published in the Oct. 19 issue of Golf World magazine.The women's team, winners of six straight College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin championships, are ranked No. 5 in the Golf World/National Golf Coaches Association poll, up from No. 7 in the last rankings. The men's team made a significant jump to No. 13 from No. 25 in the Golf World/Nike poll after a three-tournament fall schedule in which the Titans finished first twice and second once. Methodist (N.C.) is the top ranked team in both the men's and women's coaches' polls.

October 1
The Illinois Wesleyan men's golf team finished first in an easy fashion, winning by 14 strokes at the Machester Fall Invitational, played at Honeywell Golf Course in Wabash, Ind., on Monday, Oct. 1. The Titans had a two-round score of 592 and second place Centre was at 606. IWU had five players finish in the top 12, led by Chris Green, who finished second as he shot a 144 in the 36 hole event on the par 71, 6444 yard course. Mike DeRuntz tied for fifth (148), Matt Wennmaker tied for seventh (151), Bennett Blakeman was 11th (152), and Doug Keller was 12th with a 153 score.

September 23-24
Mike DeRuntz finished first and teammates Matt Wennmaker and Bennett Blakeman finished second and third, respectively, to lead the Illinois Wesleyan men's golf team to a win in the Franklin Invitational at The Legends of Indiana Golf Club in Franklin, Ind., on Sept. 23-24. DeRuntz's two day total of 135 on the 7,044 yard par-72 layout, earned medalist honors while Wennmaker finished with a 144 total and Blakeman was at 145. As a team IWU had a 572 score (283-289) to down second place Transylvania (590). On the first day DeRuntz shot a 66, which tied a school record held by Larry Caton, who shot a 66 on April 8, 1970, against Loyola-New Orleans at the Audobon Park Golf Course in New Orleans.

September 15-16
In one of its three fall golf tournaments, the Illinois Wesleyan men's golf team finished second of 20 teams at the Mount Mercy Golf Classic, held at Hunters Ridge Golf Course in Marion, Iowa on Sept. 15-16. The Titans' team score was 594, behind only Lindenwood at 583. Bennett Blakeman carded a 1-over 145 over the two days to finish tied for fifth while Matt Wennmaker of the IWU "White" team finished eighth with a score of 146. Mike DeRuntz tied for ninth with a 147 score. The Titans play Sept. 23-24 at the Franklin (Ind.) College Invitational.