Photo by: Mary Ritchie
Rick Todd Named Big West Men's Golf Coach of the Year, Gillis Second Team All-Conference
5/11/2016 11:05:00 AM | Men's Golf
Irvine—This morning the Big West conference announced that UC Riverside Head Men's Golf Coach Rick Todd was selected as Coach of the Year. Sam Gillis was named to the All-Conference Second Team and Matt Lutz was Honorable Mention.
Todd took over the men's golf program last November, and guided UC Riverside to its first conference title since 2005. The Highlanders, who entered the final round with a shot six lead, held off an early charge from Cal Poly and outplayed the Mustangs on holes 17-18 to win the 2016 conference tournament at Wood Ranch Golf Club in Simi Valley.
Todd lead UCR to three Top-3 finishes in the spring, including the Big West title, and is the first UC Riverside coach to earn coach of the year honors since Paul Hjulberg did so in 2004 and 2005.
Gillis finished 19th at the Big West Championship, recorded three top-5s, and finished in the top-10 on five ocassions. He had 10 rounds under par and fired a season-low four-under 68 at the Folino Invitational, where he was runner-up with a season-best 215 (-1) three round total.
Lutz fired a season-low four-under par 68 in the second round of the Big West Championship at Wood Ranch en route to a third place finish with a 215, (-1) three round total. On the year, he recorded two top-5 finishes and was in the top-10 on four occasions, while shooting seven rounds under par.
The team is preparing for the Tucson NCAA Regional at the Gallery Club North Course in Marana, AZ, May 16-18 hosted by the University of Arizona.Â
(view UCR list of Big West honorees)
(Big West press release)
Todd took over the men's golf program last November, and guided UC Riverside to its first conference title since 2005. The Highlanders, who entered the final round with a shot six lead, held off an early charge from Cal Poly and outplayed the Mustangs on holes 17-18 to win the 2016 conference tournament at Wood Ranch Golf Club in Simi Valley.
Todd lead UCR to three Top-3 finishes in the spring, including the Big West title, and is the first UC Riverside coach to earn coach of the year honors since Paul Hjulberg did so in 2004 and 2005.
Gillis finished 19th at the Big West Championship, recorded three top-5s, and finished in the top-10 on five ocassions. He had 10 rounds under par and fired a season-low four-under 68 at the Folino Invitational, where he was runner-up with a season-best 215 (-1) three round total.
Lutz fired a season-low four-under par 68 in the second round of the Big West Championship at Wood Ranch en route to a third place finish with a 215, (-1) three round total. On the year, he recorded two top-5 finishes and was in the top-10 on four occasions, while shooting seven rounds under par.
The team is preparing for the Tucson NCAA Regional at the Gallery Club North Course in Marana, AZ, May 16-18 hosted by the University of Arizona.Â
(view UCR list of Big West honorees)
(Big West press release)
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