Four local graduates teed it up for college golf teams this fall.
Park Rapids’ Anna Eckmann played 10 rounds for the Augustana University women’s team, Park Rapids’ Lexi Usher played five rounds for the Alexandria Tech women’s team, Nevis’ Mathias Warrington played 10 rounds for the University of Minnesota-Morris men’s team and Nevis’ Sonja Habedank played eight rounds for the UM-Morris women’s team
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Anna Eckmann
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Eckmann concluded her sophomore season by being named the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Golfer of the Week.
In the final meet of the fall season, Eckmann carded rounds of 75 (including three birdies) and 81 for a 156 to tie for ninth place as the Vikings’ No. 1 golfer at the NCAA Central Region Preview at the St. Joseph (Missouri) Country Club on Oct. 20-21 to earn the NSIC honor. Augustana tied for ninth place out of 19 teams with rounds of 324 and 325 for a 649. Maria Velilla earned medalist honors in the 105-golfer field with rounds of 76 and 72 for a 148 on the par-72 course in leading Southwest Oklahoma State to the team title with a pair of 308s for a 616.
In the season opener, Eckmann was Augustana’s No. 3 golfer with rounds of 82 and 79 for a 161 to tie for 60th place at the Central Region Fall Preview at Adams Pointe Golf Club in Blue Springs, Missouri on Sept. 2-3. Augustana placed 13th out of 18 teams with rounds of 315 and 311 for a 626. Central Missouri won the team title with rounds of 292 and 294 for a 586 while Henderson State’s Lily Nelson led the 90-golfer field with a pair of 70s for a 140 on the par-72 course.
At the Travis Roy Memorial Invitational at the Powder Horn Golf Resort in Sheridan, Wyoming on Sept. 15-16, Eckmann was the Vikings’ No. 5 golfer with rounds of 83 and 88 for a 171 to tie for 47th place out of 59 golfers. Augustana had rounds of 306 and 310 for a 616 to finish fifth in the 12-team meet. Thale Estenson’s pair of 70s for a 140 led Colorado State Pueblo to the team title with rounds of 289 and 291 for a 580 on the par-72 course.
Augustana finished sixth at the 13-team Southwest Minnesota State University Ever Spring Inn & Suites Mustang Invitational at the Marshall Golf Club on Sept. 27-28. Eckmann carded rounds of 81 and 80 for a 161 on the par-72 setting as the Vikings had rounds of 320 and 315 for a 635. Eckmann was the team’s No. 3 golfer and tied for 26th overall out of 77 golfers. Emerson Garlie’s rounds of 71 and 75 for a 146 helped Minnesota State claim the team title with rounds of 305 and 302 for a 607.
Eckmann had rounds of 83 and 80 for a 163 to tie for 14th place while sharing the team’s No. 3 spot at the University of Sioux Falls Invitational at the Grand Falls Golf Resort and Casino in Larchwood, Iowa on Oct. 13-14. The Vikings carded rounds of 321 and 320 for a 641 to claim runner-up honors in the 13-team field. Concordia-St. Paul’s Piper Hill led the 71-golfer field with rounds of 72 and 79 for a 150 on the par-72 course while Wayne State won the team title with rounds of 311 and 327 for a 638.
Eckmann posted an 81.2 average during the fall season for the Vikings.
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Lexi Usher
ALEXANDRIA – Usher posted an 89.8 average in three tournaments for the Legends this fall.
At the Spartan Classic at Fergus Falls’ Pebble Lake Golf Course on Sept. 7-8, Usher led the Legends by following a 90 with an 88 for a 178 to place fourth out of 13 golfers as Alexandria Tech finished second with an 804 with rounds of 414 and 390. Minnesota State Fergus Falls took first with rounds of 380 and 385 for a 765 as Valley City State’s Sydney Carslon led the way with rounds of 77 and 82 for a 159 on the par-72 course.
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Lexi Usher posted an 89.8 average in three tournaments for Alexandria Tech this fall.
Contributed / Brett Larson, Alexandria Tech
At the Bethany Lutheran Invitational at the Waseca Lakeside Golf Club on Sept. 23, Usher was Alexandria’s No. 1 golfer with a 93 to finish eighth overall out of 22 golfers. Crown College’s Kendall Clark carded an 84 on the par-71 course to claim medalist honors while the University of Northwestern-St. Paul won the title with a 356. Alexandria Tech had an incomplete team.
Alexandria Tech closed out the fall season at the Hawley Golf Course for the Mayville State Comets Invitational on Oct. 9-10. Usher again was the Legends’ No. 1 golfer with rounds of 86 and 92 for a 178 to place 11th overall. Kacie Rexin had rounds of 74 and 76 for a 150 on the par-72 course to top the 26-golfer field. The University of Jamestown topped the three-team field with rounds of 327 and 333 for a 660 as Alexandria Tech fielded an incomplete team.
Mathias Warrington
MORRIS – Warrington began his senior season as the No. 1 golfer in six of the seven meets for the Cougars.
Warrington ended the fall season by carding rounds of 80, 81 and 81 for a 242 at the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference Championships at Becker’s Pebble Creek Golf Club on Oct. 2-4. Warrington tied for 20th place overall out of 35 golfers. Morris finished sixth with rounds of 336, 326 and 342 for a 1,004 as Wisconsin-Superior won the team title with rounds of 301, 307 and 305 for a 913. Superior’s Andrew Rude earned medalist honors with rounds of 76, 72 and 75 for a 223 on the par-72 course. Rounding out the conference standings were Bethany Lutheran (919), Northwestern-St. Paul (921), North Central (948), Martin Luther (986) and Crown (1,006).
In the season opener, Warrington led the Cougars with a 77 to tie for 17th overall out of 70 golfers at the Northwestern Invitational at the Fox Hollow Golf Club in St. Michael on Sept. 2. Morris tied for sixth with a 327 in the eight-team field as Bethany College won the title with a 290. Northwestern’s Carson Besonen was the medalist with a 69 on the par-72 course.
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Mathias Warrington
Warrington had six birdies in carding rounds of 79 and 76 for a 155 to tie for 21st place at the Twin Ports Invitational at the Nemadji Golf Course in Superior on Sept. 6-7. Morris was 10th in the 13-team meet with rounds of 328 and 319 for a 647. Superior led the way with rounds of 299 and 300 for a 599 as Superior’s Andrew Slatten carded rounds of 72 and 70 for a 142 on the par-72 course to lead the 80 golfers.
At the UMAC Preview at Pebble Creek on Sept. 11, Warrington’s 77 led the Cougars to fifth place with a 320. Warrington tied for 13th overall. Northwestern and Superior tied for first with 300s as Northwestern’s Jakob Swanson led the 64-player field with an even-par 72.
The Martin Luther Knights Classic saw Warrington card a 79 to finish fourth overall out of 30 golfers. Morris took third at the Decorah Ridge Golf Course in Morton with a 320 on Sept. 16. Keaton Ginter was the medalist with an even-par 72 as Bethany Lutheran topped the three-team field with a 304.
Warrington’s 76 was good for a share of 12th place out of 60 golfers as Morris placed fifth at the six-team Bethany Lutheran Invitational with a 329 at the Crow River Golf Club in Hutchinson on Sept. 26. Northwestern led the way with a 285 as Northwestern’s Shane Seiffet and Swanson tied for medalist honors with 67s on the par-71 course.
Morris placed fifth at the six-team Martin Luther Fall Invitational at the Oakdale Golf Course in Buffalo Lake on Sept. 27. Warrington tied for the No. 6 spot on the team and placed 37th out of 58 golfers with an 83 on the par-72 course. Besonen carded a 69 to lead the field as Bethany Lutheran claimed the team title with a 291.
Warrington posted a 78.9 average.
Sonja Habedank
MORRIS – Habedank ended the fall season as the Cougars’ No. 4 golfer at the UMAC Championships.
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Morris placed fifth out of seven teams with rounds of 463, 459 and 460 for a 1,382 in the finale in this seven-team field. Habedank had rounds of 123, 122 and 133 for a 378 to place 30th out of 33 golfers. Paige Johnson led the field with rounds of 79, 79 and 82 for a 239 on the par-72 Pebble Creek course in leading Northwestern to the title with rounds of 335, 327 and 324 for a 986. Superior was second at 1,043, Crown College took third at 1,101 and Martin Luther was fourth at 1,257. North Central and Bethany Lutheran fielded incomplete teams.
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Sonja Habedank
Habedank carded rounds of 127 and 131 for a 258 as the team’s No. 4 golfer to tie for 43rd out of 47 golfers in her season debut at the Twin Ports Invitational. Crown’s Kendall Clark earned medalist honors with rounds of 78 and 81 for a 159 on the par-72 course while Wisconsin-River Falls won the team title with rounds of 340 and 326 for a 666. Morris finished eighth out of eight teams with rounds of 486 and 467 for a 953.
Habedank finished 14th overall with a 130 as the Cougars’ No. 4 golfer at the Knights Classic. Morris finished third with a 458 as Martin Luther won the title with a 406. Bethany Lutheran’s Lydia Schmid was the medalist with an 89.
At the Bethany Lutheran Invitational, Habedank carded a 114 as Morris’ No. 2 golfer to place 25th overall out of 33 golfers. The Cougars finished sixth out of six teams with a 454 as Northwestern led the field with a 315. Northwestern’s Morgan Eckman was the medalist with a 76 on the par-71 course.
Habedank’s 119 earned her the No. 3 spot on the team and a share of the No. 28 spot out of 35 golfers at the Martin Luther Invitational. Eckman again led the field with a 75 as Northwestern won the title with a 329.
Habedank finished with a 124.9 average.