For the second time in program history, Seattle University Men’s Golf has come out on top in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Championship for the team division. The Redhawks shot a combined 20 over par (884) over the 54-hole, three- round, tournament, never losing the lead throughout the entire event.   

After claiming this title, Seattle U will make their second NCAA team regional appearance since they last won the WAC in 2017. The Redhawks will be staying close to home, as this past Wednesday, April 30, they were selected for the Bremerton Regional at Gold Mountain Golf Course in Bremerton, Wash. Gold Mountain is a very familiar course for many of the athletes on this Seattle U squad. Michelle Duan is in her second year as the assistant coach for the men’s and women’s teams.  

“I think we’re all very excited to be at home. It’s nice to have, quote-un quote, home field advantage, if you will… I think our guys are hungry and we’re excited for the opportunity,” Duan said.  

On the individual side, Sophomore Kevin Li, the previous individual WAC champion in 2024, was just one hole away from going back-to-back. If Li achieved this, he would’ve been the first athlete in over twenty years to have won the WAC individual title in two straight years. Li finished the tournament one under par (215), tied with Dane Huddleston of Utah Valley. The two would go on to play two playoff holes, where Huddleston came out victorious.  

“I had a good feeling about the team since the beginning of the year. I know we have a strong team this year and there are a lot of hard workers on the team, we all kind of grinded throughout the year,” Li said.  

Another Redhawk individual who had a lot of success during the championship was Freshman Walker Lamb. In his first conference championship, the Seattle native finished the tournament tied for fourth place, shooting one over par (217). 

“It was a pretty incredible week, just to do it with the guys too, it was really special as a freshman on the team,” Lamb said.   

Both Li and Lamb commented about there being some additional pressure throughout the tournament, causing nerves that could’ve been detrimental to their performance. 

“I definitely had some unnecessary pressure the whole week, just because I won the individual title last year, and I definitely had some thoughts about defending the title, and honestly, that was not helpful because when I overthink, it will shift my focus away from competition… But I was still able to manage to hang around and help the team as much as I can,” Li said.  

“I get super nervous before events, believe it or not… I think especially in a conference championship, your desire to perform is really high, so I’ve learned that your desire doesn’t really change your performance, so I try to calm those as much as possible, but you gotta try to stay up from there,” Lamb commented.   

Despite both athletes describing the effect that nervousness could have on their game, the two were still able to put on excellent performances, doing their part in helping the team secure the title.  

The Redhawks will be joined by Arizona State, Florida, Utah, South Carolina, South Florida, Colorado, Charlotte, Kansas, Colorado State, Kansas State, Elon, Coastal Carolina and Oral Roberts. With the likes of ASU being ranked in the top five in the nation, as well as Florida winning the NCAA Championship in 2023, Seattle U will be surrounded by some of the best competition in all of collegiate golf. Though there is the possibility of added pressure when facing off against tough competition, Head coach Marc Chandonnet has a saying that he tells all his athletes: 

“The golf ball doesn’t know who’s hitting it, the most important thing is don’t get starstruck about who’s there, you’re going to play golf on the golf course in just the same place as these people,” Chandonnet stated. 

The Redhawks are slated to compete in the regional tournament May 12-14. The top five teams, as well as the low-scoring individual from each of the six regionals, will advance to the NCAA Championships at the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, Calif. May 23-28. With a strong team full of hard workers, along with the advantage of course familiarity, this Redhawks squad has a real chance to make their first NCAA Championship appearance.