The NCC men’s golf team is wrapping up their spring season as the CCIW Championship begins on April 29. First-year Head Coach Frankie Ivelia, joined the coaching staff in the 2019-2020 season as a graduate assistant for the women’s golf team. After the 2020-2021 season, Ivelia was named as the head coach of both men’s and women’s golf teams.
NCC opened its spring season playing in the Illinois Wesleyan University Invitational at the Ironwood Golf Course. The team finished with a total score of 637. Sergio Ronchel Salas, ’22, placed 25th with a two-day individual score of 153 and NCC 18-hole low of 76 in round two as Vail Cordell, ‘22, finished 50th with a score of 157.
Program record at Benedictine University quad
Salas has led the Cardinals on the course as he had an 18-hole record for the Cardinals’ men’s program in the Benedictine University Quad at St. Andrews Golf Club. Salas recorded a four-under-par score of 67 to win the individual championship and finish one stroke ahead of previous NCC players, Chris Kaiser and Lincoln Slagel, ‘17, who both scored a 68.
As a team, the Cardinals finished second out of the five teams at the quad with a total score of 305; making it their best finish of the season. Zachary Lunde, ‘25, placed eighth with a score of 77 followed by Mitch Boryszewski, ‘24, finishing 16th with 80 and Elias Finazzo, ‘25, and Braden Estes, ‘24, tied for 17th with 81.
Cardinals final two spring season matches
After having a successful showing at the Benedictine University Quad, the men’s golf team competed in the Millikin University Take Back The Night Challenge on April 23. This was the Cardinals’ last 36-hole event of the spring season. The team posted a total score of 647 placing 10th in a 12-team event.
Salas led the Cardinals and finished fourth with a total score of 148. He was four strokes away from taking first. Ronchel Salas has now placed three times within the top five this season.
Shortly after playing in the Millikin University golf event, the Cardinals hosted the Naperville Intercollegiate at the Naperville Country Club. NCC went up against North Park University, Elmhurst University and College of Dupage. The Cardinals finished third having a total team score of 332. Individually Cordell finished in third with a score of 78, six strokes back from first place.
The men’s golf team will build off this match for the upcoming CCIW Championship. The conference tournament will take place on April 29 and 30. Last season at the CCIW Championship the Cardinal’s finished last with a total score of 1,008. Salas took eighth with an individual score of 229.
