Grand Valley State University’s men’s golf team ended their 2023-2024 season by finishing in tenth out of 20 teams at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Championship. Senior Drew Coble was the top finisher for the Lakers’ golf team, shooting a par 71 in his final round. Making five birdies, he was able to tie for eighteenth place.
During the NCAA Division II Championship, five GVSU golfers headed to the course to compete for the NCAA title. The five golfers were seniors Drew Coble and Nick Krueger, as well as sophomores Manuel Cue Vargas, Bryce Wheeler and Charlie Cooley.
In addition to Coble being the team’s top finisher, Cue Vargas placed the second highest for GVSU, tying for forty-fifth place. Right behind him was Wheeler in fifty-fifth place after he golfed a final round with four birdies. Following closely behind Wheeler was Cooley, who placed sixty-fifth, and Krueger, who placed seventieth.
“The greatest accomplishment this past season, in my mind, was how we were able to work together as a group to help overcome obstacles we faced throughout the season,” Coble said.
Coble achieved many other accomplishments during the season, including three individual wins, Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Player of the Year, First Team All-American, GLIAC Commissioner’s Award and Jack Nicklaus Award finalist. During his time at GVSU, Coble was only the eighth player in the program’s history to be named All-American.
While 2023-2024 was his senior year, Coble plans to continue his education and time on the men’s golf team at GVSU. Looking ahead to the upcoming fall season, he believes the team should focus less on the immensity of their goals, and more on the day by day progress associated with achieving them.
Wheeler also noted that looking forward, the team will need to adjust to playing in high-intensity environments.
“We all need to perform in high-intensity, competitive situations,” Wheeler said. “Getting used to playing and performing in those high-intensity environments is super important to competing and winning.”
Wheeler described that while it was a great experience playing in the national championship, the team hopes to “make it there and win it all” in the future.
Starting Sept. 9, the team will be playing in the Folds of Honor Collegiate at the American Dunes Golf Club in Grand Haven.
“We play against a power District 1 field,” said Coble. “(The) event will be live on national television as well.”
