IOWA CITY, Iowa — Three University of Iowa men’s golfers — seniors Alex Schaake and Benton Weinberg, and sophomore Gonzalo Leal Montero — earned Big Ten Conference recognition, the conference announced Monday.
Schaake, last year’s Big Ten Player of the Year, earned his second straight unanimous selection to the All-Big Ten first team. Schaake is the first Hawkeye since Steven Ihm (2013-14) to earn two consecutive first-team All-Big Ten honors. Schaake also joins Ihm as one of only two Hawkeyes to earn three career All-Big Ten awards.
Sophomore Gonzalo Leal Montero was second-team All-Big Ten selection, while senior Benton Weinberg was a recipient of the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award. It is Leal Montero’s first career All-Big Ten postseason honor.
𝙐𝙣𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙢𝙤𝙪𝙨 First-Team All-Big Ten (for the second straight year). @alex_schaake becomes the second Hawkeye in school history to earn three career All-Big Ten honors!
🔗 https://t.co/uw0FilK2aF | #FightForIowa pic.twitter.com/9D4MgbZRwM
— Iowa Hawkeye Golf (@IowaHawkeyeGolf) May 18, 2020
.@gonzaloleal_ earned Second-Team All-Big Ten status, garnering his first career All-Big Ten honor.
Congrats, Gonzo!
🔗 https://t.co/s3NrFrDwpV | #Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/4Wky9w2MNe
— Iowa Hawkeye Golf (@IowaHawkeyeGolf) May 18, 2020
S/O @bentonweinberg for being name Iowa's B1G Sportsmanship Award honoree!
🔗 https://t.co/v6xaljK7wB | #Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/pKsjbT4Uth
— Iowa Hawkeye Golf (@IowaHawkeyeGolf) May 18, 2020
Schaake, a native of Omaha, Nebraska, led Iowa in rounds at or below par (11) and 18-hole stroke average (71.2). He tied for a season-best seventh place at the Colleton River Collegiate, recording his 11th career top-10 finish. His best three-round total of the season came at the Notre Dame Fighting Irish Classic where he fired a one-under-par 212.
Leal Montero was second on the team in 18-hole scoring average (71.8), while carding 10 rounds at or below par. The Seville, Spain, native tied for eighth at the Royal Oaks Intercollegiate with a career-best 54-hole total of 208 (-5) to post the seventh-lowest three-round total in program history. The sophomore posted the lowest Hawkeye round of the season with a third-round 66 (-5) at the Notre Dame Fighting Irish Classic.
Weinberg recorded eight rounds at or below par while averaging 73.7 strokes per 18 holes. The senior posted his best finish at the Golfweek Conference Challenge, tying for 19th with a three-round total of 218 (+2). Weinberg carded a season-best 69 in the first round of the Golfweek Conference Challenge.
2020 BIG TEN MEN’S GOLF ALL-CONFERENCE AND INDIVIDUAL AWARD WINNERS
Big Ten Player of the Year: Christopher Gotterup, Rutgers
Big Ten Freshman of the Year: Jerry Ji, Illinois
Les Bolstad Award: Christopher Gotterup, Rutgers
ALL-BIG TEN TEAMS
First Team
Michael Feagles, Illinois
ALEX SCHAAKE, IOWA
Peter Knade, Maryland
ANGUS FLANAGAN, MINNESOTA
DAVID NYFJALL, NORTHWESTERN
Ryan Davis, Penn State
Joe Weiler, Purdue
CHRIS GOTTERUP, RUTGERS
Second Team
Jerry Ji, Illinois
Giovanni Tadiotto, Illinois
Gonzalo Leal, Iowa
Brent Ito, Michigan
James Piot, Michigan State
Connor Glynn, Minnesota
Eric McIntosh, Northwestern
Felix Kvarnström, Ohio State
Unanimous selections in ALL CAPS
Sportsmanship Award Honorees
Adrien Dumont de Chassart, Illinois
Jack Sparrow, Indiana
Benton Weinberg, Iowa
Will Koras, Maryland
Henry Spring, Michigan
James Piot, Michigan State
Connor Glynn, Minnesota
Tanner Owen, Nebraska
Everton Hawkins, Northwestern
Justin Wick, Ohio State
James McHugh, Penn State
Joe Weiler, Purdue
Tony Jiang, Rutgers
Nick Robinson, Wisconsin
