(Points awarded on an 9-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis. Coaches could not vote for their own teams.)
HILLSBORO, Ore. — The Northwest Conference’s head men’s golf coaches have slated the Pacific Lutheran Lutes to win their second straight conference title, according to a poll of the nine NWC head coaches.
Three teams received first place votes, but the Lutes received the majority of top votes with five first place votes and a total of 66 points. The Lutes, who have received votes in the Preseason Division III Bushnell Golfweek Coaches Poll, won the NWC Fall Classic and NWC Spring class last season earned the conference title at the conclusion of the spring season. Pacific Lutheran went on to compete at the NCAA Division III National Championships, finishing 18th in the team standings. Leading the Lutes into 2017-18 is reigning NWC Player of the Year, senior Mitchell Baldridge (Puyallup, Wash.). Baldridge finished 68th overall at the national championships in May.
Willamette received three first place votes and 60 total points, for a predicted second place finish. The Bearcats finished second in the final conference standings last season, finishing second in the Fall and Spring Classics and third at the NWC Championship Tournament. Willamette returns a pair of all-conference performers to the roster this season, in First Team All-NWC honoree Trent Jones (Jr., Kenmore, Wash.) and Second Team All-NWC recipient Kenneth Sheldon (Jr., Ocean Park, Wash.).
Picked third with one first place vote and 51 total points was Whitworth. The Pirates won the NWC Championship Tournament last season, but finished third in the overall standings after finishing fifth at the Fall Classic and seventh at the Spring Classic. Whitworth will look to 2016-17 NWC Freshman of the Year, Sam Stiles (So., Colbert, Wash.) to replicate his performance from last season that also saw him earn First Team All-NWC status.
After finishing sixth in the final conference standings last season, George Fox was picked fourth this season with 39 total points. The Bruins will rely on returning Second Team All-NWC honorees, Alex Plusquellec (Sr., Damascus, Ore.) and Mason Koch (So., Auburn, Wash.) as they enter the 2017-18 season.
Linfield received 36 points and was predicted to finish fifth after finishing last season in fourth. Lucas Balala (Sr., University Place, Wash.) leads the Wildcats into the season after he placed 12th at the NWC Championship Tournament in 2017.
Puget Sound was picked to finish sixth with 29 points following a seventh-place finish last season. Casey Weston (Sr., Steamboat Springs, Colo.) was the Loggers’ top finisher last season at the NWC Championship Tournament in 18th place, and will be looked upon to lead Puget Sound in 2017-18.
The Pioneers of Lewis & Clark received 28 points and was picked seventh after a fifth-place finish a season ago. Robert Wang (Jr., Redwood City, Calif.), a First Team All-NWC honoree in 2016-17, returns to the Pioneers lineup this season.
Whitman was picked eighth, after finishing eighth last season, with 13 points. Mario Santos-Davidson (Sr., Albany, Calif.) is the Blues’ top returner from last season’s NWC Championship Tournament, where he finished tied for 29th overall.
Pacific (Ore.) rounds out the preseason poll in ninth with 11 total points. The Boxers enter 2017-18 with a young roster, led by senior Luke Olson (Des Moines, Wash.) and his 32nd place finish at last seasons’ championship.
The 2017-18 NWC men’s golf schedule gets underway on Sunday, September 17, when eight of the nine NWC squads will tee off at the PLU Invitational at The Home Course in DuPont, Wash. George Fox, the lone squad not competing at the PLU Invitational, will open its season the following day (Sept. 18) at Olivas Links in Ventura, Calif., as part of the Cal State Invitational (hosted by Cal Lutheran).
The lone major of the NWC fall golf season will take place on October 14 and 15, when Pacific (Ore.) hosts the NWC Fall Classic at Quail Valley in Banks, Ore.