IGC Web 2019.Pdf
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FROM THE DESK OF HEAD COACH MIKE SMALL In my 19 years as the head golf coach at the University of Illinois, the landscape of college golf and our program has changed immensely. One thing that has stayed the same though is this program’s incredible support from alumni, fans and donors. As we approach the 18th Annual Illini Golf Classic hosted by Illini Tour Professionals, I can’t stress enough how grateful we are for your support and commitment to making the Illini Golf Classic a great success. Through your participation, sponsorship and auction involvement, our golf team has been afforded the opportunity to play and compete on some of the best courses and against some of the top teams in the country. Coming up this season, our squad will be tested on premier courses such as Olympia Fields, Crooked Stick, Isleworth, Mirabel, Cypress Point and Calusa Pines. This outing also helps the success of our team by outfitting our first-class Demirjian Indoor and Lauritsen/Wohlers Outdoor Golf Practice Facilities with premier equipment and training aids. The Illini Golf Classic is unique because of the loyalty that Illini touring professionals have towards the event, and their desire to come back to support their program, while also spending time with the many Illini friends that have followed their careers. Illini greats Steve Stricker, D.A. Points, Scott Langley, Luke Guthrie, Thomas Pieters, Brian Campbell and Thomas Detry have all become household names on the PGA, Web.com and European Tours and have graciously donated their time and effort to our event. It is also exciting to see recent graduates Charlie Danielson, Dylan Meyer and NIck Hardy making some noise in the professional ranks. We appreciate their continued faithfulness and support to our program and University! We encourage you to please mark your calendar and plan on attending the 18th Annual Illini Golf Classic hosted by Illini Tour Professionals. Invite your friends, family, clients and employees to join in this year’s festivities. We want to continue to make this a special occasion and with your participation, we can have a great time celebrating Illini Golf together and making the 2019 Illini Golf Classic another one to remember. Best Wishes, MIKE SMALL Men’s Golf Coach LF GO CL I A N S I S L I C L I ILLINI GOLF CLASSIC // 8 ILLINI GOLF CLASSIC // 1 A LOOK AT THE 2018-19 SEASON ILLINOIS MEN’S GOLF TEAM It was business as usual during the 2018-19 campaign as Illinois closed out the season with its 12th consecutive NCAA Championships appearance. Illinois has advanced to the NCAA Championships in 15 of head coach Mike Small’s 19 seasons, and its 12-straight appearances mark the second-longest active streak in the nation, behind Texas who has appeared at NCAAs for 13 consecutive campaigns. The Fighting Illini once again headed into NCAA Championship play on a high note this May as the squad was coming off of titles at both the 2019 Big Ten Men’s Golf Championships and the 2019 NCAA Myrtle Beach Regional. Illinois used a 16-under par final round at TPC Myrtle Beach on May 15 to propel itself to a team victory at the regional championship. Junior Michael Feagles led the Orange and Blue with a 7-under par final round score to earn individual medalist honors. Feagles became Illinois’ fifth NCAA Regional medalist, and the Illini have won five NCAA Regional titles in the past seven seasons. The individual title marked the first for Feagles in his career, and his 15-under par 201 marked a career-low 54-hole tally for the Scottsdale, Arizona, native. Illinois earned an automatic qualification to NCAA Regionals following its fifth consecutive Big Ten Championship victory on April 28. The Orange and Blue battled the weather and the tough course at Philadelphia Cricket Club to earn the program’s 10th Big Ten title in the past 11 seasons. UI posted a 2-under par final round score to secure a victory in the tournament. The team title wasn’t the only highlight from the Big Ten Championships, as four Illini finished among the top 20 individuals, led by freshman Adrien Dumont de Chassart who shot 4-under for the final round to share individual medalist honors with Minnesota’s Angus Flanagan. The team title marks the 17th Big Ten Men’s Golf Championship in program history, while Dumont de Chassart became the 21st Big Ten Championship Medalist in Illinois history. An Illini has taken home medalist honors in each of the last nine seasons, which is the longest streak in Big Ten Conference history. Prior to Illinois’ run, the Big Ten has not seen such consistency from a golf program since the1980s when Ohio State earned 11 titles in a span of 12 seasons from 1976-1987. With its 2019 Big Ten Championship title, UI becomes be the second team in league history to win 10 titles in a span of 11 seasons. Only two other teams have won five consecutive Big Ten Championships, including Ohio State (1976-80, 1982-87) and Michigan who took home the trophy from 1932-36. Several Illini were recognized by the Big Ten Conference following the league’s championships as Feagles, Dumont de Chassart, Bryan Baumgarten and Giovanni Tadiotto earned All-Big Ten recognition. Head Coach Mike Small was also honored as he was named the Big Ten Coach of the Year for the 11th time in his career. Small has led the Orange and Blue to 10 conference championship titles in the past 11 seasons, and he has coached seven players to nine consecutive individual Big Ten titles. Feagles was also honored following the season as he earned PING All-America Honorable Mention recognition. Feagles closed the 2018-19 campaign with a team-leading 70.97 stroke average, and was also named to the PING All-Midwest Region team. He was joined among the Midwest Region honorees by Baumgarten, Dumont de Chassart and Tadiotto. During regular season play, Illinois earned seven top-five team finishes, including taking home trophies in two of the first three tournaments of the year. After hosting the 13th annual OFCC/Fighting Illini Invitational, UI earned back-to-back victories at the MacDonald Cup and the Fighting Irish Classic. All seven Illini in the field at the MacDonald Cup placed among the top 25 individuals, led by Baumgarten who finished in a tie for runner-up honors. Baumgarten again led Illinois at the Fighting Irish Classic as he tied for fourth with fellow Illini, Tadiotto. In total, Illinois earned seven top-five team finishes throughout the regular season, and headed into the postseason following a strong performance at the Hawkeye Invitational. UI posted a 37-under par tally to earn a runner-up finish in Iowa City, also earning runner-up honors as a team at the Tar Heel Intercollegiate in late March. Prior to his Big Ten individual title, Dumont de Chassart earned his first-career medalist honors in North Carolina at the Tar Heel Intercollegiate. Looking ahead, the Orange and Blue are poised for another successful season in 2019-20. UI will return all nine members of the 2018-19 squad next year including Luke Armbrust, Bryan Baumgarten, Varun Chopra, Adrien Dumont de Chassart, Michael Feagles, Noah Gillard, Tommy Kuhl, Brendan O’Reilly and Giovanni Tadiotto. The program will also welcome freshman Jerry Ji from Hoofdorp, Netherlands, to Champaign beginning in August. LF GO CL I A N S I S L I C L I ILLINI GOLF CLASSIC // 2 MIKE SMALL MEN’S GOLF COACH Head Coach Mike Small has the distinction of playing on one Big Ten championship team and coaching 10. Small was a member of the 1988 team that claimed the title and guided the Illini to five consecutive Big Ten titles from 2009-13 and from 2015-19, marking only the fourth and fifth times a conference school has won five or more straight championships in men’s golf. Small has led Illinois to top-five NCAA finishes in six of the last eight seasons, including a runner-up standing in 2013 where they won matches against 2012 NCAA champion Texas and No. 1 California before falling to Alabama in the championship match. Illinois has advanced to the NCAA Championship finals in each of the last 12 years under Small’s direction, marking the second-longest active streak in the nation. The 2015 Dave Williams National Coach of the Year, Mike Small has also been named Big Ten Coach of the Year 11 times during his tenure at Illinois. Under Small’s direction, nine student-athletes have earned Big Ten Player of the Year honors, including one in seven of the last eight seasons, and six players have earned Freshman of the Year recognition. Illinois athletes have won 24 All-America honors and 50 All-Big Ten accolades. Under Small’s direction, the Illini program has seen consistent success as his teams have not only continued to achieve greatness at the conference level, but on the national level as well. His teams have advanced to the NCAA Championship in 15 of Small’s 19 seasons. The Orange and Blue won four consecutive NCAA Regional Championships from 2013-2016, becoming one of just two schools in NCAA history to do so, and again earned an NCAA Regional title in 2019. Small was again recognized for his coaching success in 2016 as he was inducted into the Golf Coaches Association of America Hall of Fame, and he has earned Midwest Region Coach of the Year honors in 10 seasons.