HANCEVILLE – Wallace State’s men’s golf team finished ninth in the nation at the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) National Championship on Friday, shooting a 4-over par 1156 during the four-day event at the Duran Golf Club in Melbourne, Fla.
Wallace State, making its 21st national tournament appearance under coach Dan York, wrapped up the tournament Friday by shooting a 1-over 289. The Lions put together their best round on Thursday with a 4-under 284. They opened with a 295 in Tuesday’s opening round and added a 288 in the second round.
McLennan (Texas) Community College won the championship with a 24-under 1128.
Sophomore Sylas Elliott finished with the top score for Wallace State, carding a 6-under 282, for the eighth best mark in the nation. Elliott was even par on Tuesday and played below par the rest of the tournament, shooting a 72-70-71-69.
Prior to the tournament, Elliott was named a NJCAA PING 1ST-team All-American, and he capped a splendid Wallace State career in Florida. Elliott, a Cullman graduate, was a Jack Nicklaus National Player of the Year semifinalist this season and won the ACCC/Region 22 individual title for the second season in a row. He was also a two-time champion of the Wallace State’s Fall Invitational each September.
Elliott, who has signed to play next season at South Alabama, finished 10th individually in the nation as a freshman last season.
Wallace State sophomores Eli Marty and Walker Gordon each finished under par in their final tournament with the Lions.
Marty, a NJCAA honorable mention All-American, finished with a 2-under 286 (75-71-69-71), and Gordon shot a 1-under 287 (74-73-69-71).
Marty, a Good Hope graduate and Montevallo commit, was coming off a low medalist title at the NJCAA District 4 Championship on April 26. He was also named to the All-Tournament team at the conference tournament.
Wallace State freshman Trey Hanvey shot a 16-over 304, and Brent Borden finished with a 308.
Wallace State had another banner season under York, who has led the program since 1987 and was one of six finalists for the 2016 NJCAA Division I Dave Williams National Coach of the Year Award. Wallace State earned two tournament championships, including winning its second consecutive ACCC/Region 22 title and 13th overall. The Lions also had nine top-5 finishes on the year.
Wallace State women’s golf finishes 12th in nation
Wallace State’s women’s golf team wrapped up its inaugural season on Thursday, finishing 12th in the nation at the NJCAA Division I National Championship, played at the LPGA International Course in Daytona Beach, Fla.
Wallace State, which finished with a 1083, crept up the leaderboard after each round. The Lady Lions were in 15th place on Monday and gradually moved up the ladder before Thursday’s final round was washed out.
The Lady Lions shot a 385-343-355.
Daytona State College won the 2016 championship with a 12-over 864, finishing as the only team in the field to shoot under a 900.
Wallace State’s inaugural women’s golf team members were Abbi Yeager (Fairview), Leigh Allison Reeves (Boaz HS), Ashley McCormick (Southside), Chloe Kraus (Olathe Northwest HS in Kan.), Madison Autwell (Glencoe), Taylor Ruehl (Cullman) and Makayla Smith (Lexington).
The Lady Lions are coached by Aleah Scott.
For more information about Wallace State athletics, visit http://athletics.wallacestate.edu/
