Schlosser wins POY, Benjamin earns All-NACC honors at NACC Championship

Schlosser wins POY, Benjamin earns All-NACC honors at NACC Championship

AURORA, Ill. – Sam Schlosser overcame a four-shot deficit on Monday to win medalist honors at the NACC Championship at Stonebridge Country Club, while Nate Benjamin tied for ninth to earn All-NACC honors. Concordia Wisconsin ended in third place as a team.

THE BASICS
Course: Stonebridge Country Club (par 72, 6,815 yards)
Team Finish: 3rd of 9 (324-317-321-311 – 1,273)
Falcon Individuals: Sam Schlosser (71-76-81-71 – 299), Nate Benjamin (86-77-76-76 – 315), Andrew Otto (86-80-87-79 – 332), Bailey VanHandel (dnc-dnc-78-90), Kyle Rebholz (dnc-dnc-86-85)

HOW IT HAPPENED
- Sophomore Sam Schlosser (West Bend, Wis.) didn't let one bad hole on Sunday ruin his tournament, as he regrouped to card a 1-under par 71 during the final round to overcome a four-shot deficit and win medalist honors. He firing on all cylinders with four birdies and four pars on the front nine for an outstanding 32 before making three birdies and three pars on the inward nine.
- The righty started the tournament in the fall with a 1-under 71 before shooting a 76 in round two at The Irish Course at Whistling Straits and over seven months later he had an 81-71 to be named the best golfer in the conference.
- Freshman Nate Benjamin (Tucson, Ariz.) was strong himself with back-to-back rounds of 76 over the last 48 hours to move into a tie for ninth place and pick up All-NACC honors. He needed to birdie one of the last three holes in order to move into the top-10 and finished birdie-birdie-bogey to secure the accolade.
- Concordia Wisconsin was steady in the third spot, where it finished, with 311 strokes on Monday. The Falcons improved 10 shots from the third round and was one of four schools with multiple All-NACC performers.
- Sophomore Andrew Otto (Kewaskum, Wis.) moved up two spots on the leaderboard and recorded a 22nd place finish. He shot a 79 on Monday – his best round of the tournament – after making three birdies and six pars.
- Senior Kyle Rebholz (West Bend, Wis.) shot an 85 during the final round and sank five birdie putts, including a streak of three in a row near the end of his round.
- Sophomore Bailey VanHandel (Kaukauna, Wis.) shot a 90 in the final round and had three birdies and two pars to his credit.

BEYOND THE RESULTS
- Schlosser's 299 total is the second lowest 72-hole total in the NACC Championship and sets the program record for lowest 72-hole round by 16 strokes. His first and final rounds of 71 are also tied for the third lowest round shot in program history.
- Schlosser is the second Falcon to win medalist honors as the NACC Championship, along with Evan Rabas in 2014-15 who had a 230 over 54 holes, and over the last four years, there have been five golfers earn All-NACC honors.
- The Falcons 72-hole total of 1,273 is a program record, besting last season's NACC Championship total.
- Aurora won the team trophy with a 72-hole total of 1,230 (309-307-315-299).

NEXT ON THE SCHEDULE
- Concordia Wisconsin is scheduled to compete in the Edgewood Spring Invitational on Friday at Bishops Bay Country Club in Middleton, Wis.