GCAA Release

DUBLIN, Ohio - Rising senior Rob Wuethrich (Bloomington, Ill.-Normal Community) of the Illinois Wesleyan University men's golf team has been named the 2020 recipient of the Jack Nicklaus National Division III Player of the Year Award the Golf Coaches Association of America announced Wednesday, July 8. Wuethrich is the first Titan to earn the honor in program history, as well as the first College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin golfer to win the award.

In a shortened season he posted four wins, taking home the top spot at the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Preview, Gordin Collegiate Classic, Golfweek Fall Preview, and the Tim Kopka Memorial Tournament. He turned in 11 rounds of par-or-better, while finishing the year ranked No. 1 in the final Golfstat NCAA Division III rankings. He posted a scoring average of 70.2 and set the school record with an opening round 64 at the Golfweek Fall Preview. 

Wuethrich's historic season earned him a long list of honors including; PING First Team Academic All-America, College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Second Team Academic All-America, PING All-Central Region, CoSIDA Academic All-District, and an invite to the North and South Amateur Championship.

Nicklaus, a Big Ten and NCAA Champion at The Ohio State University, helped inspire and create the Jack Nicklaus Award in 1988 and it is now presented to the National Player of the year in NCAA Divisions I, II and III, as well as NAIA and NJCAA.