Hawkeyes Head South for NCAA Regionals

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THIS WEEK 
The University of Iowa men’s golf team travels to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, for its ninth consecutive NCAA Regional appearence from May 15-17. The 54-hole, three day tournament will be hosted by LSU and be played at The University Club. 

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Sunday, May 14 — Practice Round (18), 8 a.m. tee times off No. 1 and 10
Monday, May 15 — First Round (18), 8 a.m. tee times off No. 1; 8:20 a.m. off No. 10
Tuesday, May 16 — Second Round (18), 8:20 a.m. tee times off No. 1; 8 a.m. off No. 10
Wednesday, May 17 — Final Round (18), 7:50 a.m. tee times off No. 1; 7:30 a.m. off No. 10
**all times are central**

FOLLOW THE ACTION
Fans can follow the NCAA Regional action by visiting golfstat.com or by clicking the live stats link on the men’s golf schedule page on hawkeyesports.com. 

LINK UP WITH THE HAWKEYES
For an inside look at the Iowa men’s golf program and to access exclusive coverage, “like” Hawkeye men’s golf on Facebook and follow @IowaHawkeyeGolf on Twitter and Instagram.

THE FIELD 
Iowa joins a 14-team field at the Baton Rouge Regional. In order of respective seeding, the field includes host LSU (6), Oregon (7), Virginia (18), Duke (19), Northwestern (29), Arkansas (31), Jacksonville (42), Kentucky (43), South Florida (53), Iowa (56), Georgia State (69), Jacksonville State (87), Loyola (Md.) (179), and Alabama State (264).

THE COURSE
The University Club is a 7,700 yard par 72 championship-caliber course designed by David Toms and Jim Lipe. The design team took advantage of the natural topography keeping in mind the Louisiana Wetlands that surround the challenging design. 

9 STRAIGHT NCAA APPEARANCES
Iowa has advanced to NCAA competition in each of the last nine seasons, joining Illinois as the only Big Ten teams selected to NCAA Regional competition in nine consecutive years. Iowa has advanced to the NCAA Championship finals three times in the last seven years (2009, 2011, 2012).  Last year, Carson Schaake posted Iowa’s best finish, carding a 224 (+8; 74, 78, 72) to tie for 11th individually at the Albuquerque Regional — his fifth top-20 finish of last season. 

B1G IN THE POSTSEASON
Iowa is one of eight Big Ten teams to advance to regional competition, joining Ohio State, Purdue, Illinois, Michigan, Michigan State, Penn State, and Northwestern. 

QUOTING @COACHSTITH
“It’s always a privilege to qualify for the postseason. It represents a year-long effort. I’m just really proud of the guys; especially with how we finished in the fall. We had a lot of work to do this spring. We couldn’t really have a bad tournament and we didn’t. We played well in each and every tournament this spring. We are excited to get back to Baton Rouge.”

FAMILIAR TERRITORY
Three Hawkeyes are familiar with The University Club. Iowa took fourth place out of 14 teams at the 2015 David Toms Intercollegiate on Oct. 11, 2015. Carson Schaake, Raymond Knoll, and Matthew Walker all played at The University Club in 2015. Schaake led the way for Iowa with a fourth-place finish, carding a 54-hole total of 216 (E), highlighted by a 69 (-3) in the first round. 

LEADER IN THE CLUBHOUSE
Senior Raymond Knoll has been the top finisher for the Hawkeyes four times this season, including top-10 finishes in each of those tournaments. Knoll also claimed medalist honors at the Chechessee Creek Club Dual with an 18-hole total of 70 (E). It marked the second medalist honor of his career. Knoll’s season scoring average of 72.22 is fifth on Iowa’s all-time scoring average list. He sits behind former Hawkeyes Vince India and Steven Ihm, and current teammate and fellow senior Carson Schaake, who recorded a 71.17 scoring average his sophomore year. 

FRESHMEN THRIVE AT B1G CHAMPIONSHIPS
Freshman Jack Simpson recorded his second top-20 finish as a Hawkeye at the Big Ten Championships in Baltimore, Maryland, last week. The Aurora, Ontario, native fired a 214 (+4) three-day total en route to a tie for 16th. His first Big Ten appearance was highlighted with a second-round season and career best 68 (-2). Freshman Alex Schaake fired a season and career best of 66 (-4) in the final round. Schaake finished tied for 29th with a 54-hole total of 218 (+8). 

SCHAAKE SHINES AT HAWKEYE INVITE & ROBERT KEPLER
Senior Carson Schaake placed fourth at the Hawkeye Invitational, his first top-10 finish of the season. Schaake fired a three-round-total of 211 (-5), including a three-under-par 69 in the opening round on April 15th. Schaake also tied for third at the Robert Kepler Intercollegiate. He carded a three-round total of 218 (+5), leading the Hawkeyes to a third-place finish. 

WEINBERG AND SIMPSON POST TOP-20 FINISHES
Freshmen Benton Weinberg and Jack Simpson posted their first top-20 finishes as Hawkeyes in the Hawkeye Invitational. Weinberg and Simpson each posted a 54-hole total of 217 (+1), tying for 15th overall. 

KNOLL, WALKER, SCHAAKE PRODUCE WINS AT B1G MATCH PLAY
Senior Raymond Knoll and sophomore Matthew Walker each posted three wins in four rounds at the Big Ten Match Play, while freshman Alex Schaake locked up a pair of victories. Schaake fought back from a four-down deficit through 10 holes to knock off Michigan State’s Andrew Walker (2-up), before defeating Penn State in the third round. Knoll and Walker also posted wins against Penn State, Indiana, and Minnesota. 

SCHMID NAMED ASSISTANT COACH
Former University of Iowa student-athlete Jeff Schmid was named interim assistant coach for the Iowa men’s golf program in early February. Schmid brings 18 years of professional golf experience and nine years of instruction and coaching experience.He most recently served as a golf instructor and professional at country clubs in Columbia, Missouri.

FALL RECAP 
The Hawkeyes competed in five tournaments last fall, averaging 75.11 strokes-per-round as a team. Senior Raymond Knoll lead the Hawkeyes with a scoring average of 72.06, sophomore Matthew Walker followed close behind at 72.26. Freshman Alex Schaake recorded a top-20 finish at the Paintbrush Intercollegiate, finishing the fall slate with a 73.78 scoring average. 

CLIMBING THE LEADERBOARD
Sophomore Matthew Walker leads the Hawkeye squad with a scoring average of 72.16 this season. Walker has been the top finisher for Iowa at two tournaments this year. Senior Raymond Knoll follows with 72.22 strokes-per-round and has three top-10 finishes, and has also been a top finisher for the Hawkeyes four times this year. 
Iowa’s lowest 18-hole round of the season came on the last day of the Golfweek Conference Challenge (Oct. 2) when the Hawkeyes carded a 284 (-4). Matthew Walker led the team, firing a 66 (-6) — the lowest round of the entire tournament.
Freshman Alex Schaake carded a career best at the Paintbrush Invitational on Oct. 11, posting a 54-hole total of 218 (+2). He climbed 23 spots during his final round, posting a 71 and finishing in a tie for 18th overall. The Paintbrush Invitational was Schaake’s second tournament as a Hawkeye. 

TOP-10 FINISHERS
Three Hawkeyes have recorded multiple top-10 finishes during this season. Senior Raymond Knoll and sophomore Matthew Walker both registered top-10 finishes at the Golfweek Conference Challenge. Knoll finished third, while Walker finished in a tie for eighth. The duo also finished in the top-10 at the Gopher Invite with Knoll finishing in fourth and Walker in a tie for seventh. Walker finished in a tie for eighth at the Windon Memorial Classic, while Knoll tied for 18th. This spring Knoll has recorded one tournament top-10 at the Schenkel Invitational where he finished tied for eighth.  He also claimed medalist honors at the Chechessee Creek Club Dual in March. Senior Carson Schaake also has two top-10 finishes under his belt after leading Iowa at the Hawkeye Invitational and the Robert Kepler Intercollegiate.

3 HAWKEYES ON B1G PLAYERS TO WATCH LIST 
Seniors Raymond Knoll, Carson Schaake, and sophomore Matthew Walker were named to the 2016 Big Ten Men’s Golf Preseason Watch List.
Knoll competed in every tournament for the Hawkeyes last year, averaging 73 strokes-per -round. He led Iowa with 10 rounds at par or better in the spring. Knoll finished in the top 20 in four events in the spring, including a fifth-place finish at the Big Ten Championships. 
Schaake — the 2015 Big Ten Champion — averaged 72.97 strokes-per-round in his junior campaign. He finished at or below par in eight rounds and was Iowa’s top finisher in each of the last three 2016 spring events. 
Walker competed in every tournament last season, becoming the first true freshman to do so since 1992 (Sean McCarty). Walker averaged 73.33 strokes-per-round in the spring and shot at or below par in eight rounds.  

LEADING THE CHARGE 
Carson Schaake and Raymond Knoll are the lone seniors leading the Hawkeyes this season.  Knoll won the 2015 Golfweek Conference Challenge . He won the prestigious event with a 54-hole total of 205 (-11; 66, 67, 72) — the lowest three-round total in program history. Schaake won the individual Big Ten Championship title as a sophomore in 2015, becoming the third Hawkeye in program history to win a Big Ten Conference Title. 

WALKER MAKES HISTORY
Sophomore Matthew Walker has competed in every event for the Hawkeyes since his freshman year. The Ottumwa, Iowa, native was the first true freshman to compete in every fall tournament for the Hawkeyes since Cole Peevler in 2005. 

CHAMPIONSHIP CONTENDERS
Iowa has won 12 tournaments since 2008 and has had 15 individual medalists since 2009, including Carson Schaake, who was crowned individual co-champion at the 2015 Big Ten Championships and Raymond Knoll who won last year’s GolfWeek Conference Challenge.  The Hawkeyes have also had three All-Americans since 2008.

LOOKING AHEAD
Should Iowa finish in the top five at the Baton Rouge Regional, they will advance to the NCAA Championships, hosted by Northern Illinois in Sugar Grove, Illinois. The Championship will be held at Rich Harvest Farms. The event will begin on May 26th.