Memorable 2021-22 campaign concludes

SILVIS, ILL. –  The value of hard work throughout a grueling men's golf season wasn't lost on head coach Nick Wanderscheid and the Morningside University Mustangs Friday, May 20.

As the team headed back to Sioux City, memories of a six-day voyage at the world-renowned TPC Deere Run course at the 2022 National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics were fresh on their minds – thoughts predicated on when the first ball was put on the first practice tee of a season and, in some cases, a career.

"It's raw right now," Wanderscheid said. "It was a tough trip – everyone is worn out. It hasn't set in for everyone what we accomplished. Finishing 13^th in the nation is a great thing – there are over 100 programs in the NAIA. We battled against the best all week."

"I look at the scores and see where we could have even played into the top 10 or possibly the top five," he added. "At a national championship, it's all about the value of every stroke. I'm so proud of these guys' hard work to get to this point – it made a first-year head coach's job easy all season."

Leading the charge to an 1174 total was the upperclassman trio of seniors Jonny Douglas (Newcastle upon Tyne, England) and Sam Storey (Surrey, England), and junior Jackson Sitzmann (Sioux City, Iowa). All three wound up in the first 75, with Douglas nearly matching the 2021 feat of former standout Corey Matthey.

After what was at the time a new national championship 18-hole scoring record during round one, Douglas kept himself among the individual leaderboard best three to the finish. He placed third with a 277, trailing the first-place tie by only one shot.

"I was determined to have us make the cut," he said when reminiscing about his opening 18 holes. "I found something in my putting stroke during the practice round, and things clicked."

"When I take a couple of days and look back at this, I know it'll be gratifying," he added. "Right now, though, I'm a little disappointed – too much adrenaline on some approach shots on the final few holes. Overall, though, there are so many more positives than negatives."

Wanderscheid saluted one of the most successful senior groups in program history and paid tribute to former head coach Todd Sapp.

"I owe a big debt of gratitude to Coach Sapp and what he had in place when I took over," he noted. "It's because of guys like Jonny, Sam, and Xan (Milligan of Hexham, England), we have some individuals coming into the program that will help this continue. Without what they did, I don't have conversations and visits with players the caliber of what we have coming in."