A season in review: Jayhawks have solid 2018-19 concluding with NCAA Regional
LAWRENCE, Kan. – After placing 10th at the NCAA Stanford Regional (March 13-15) the 2018-19 Kansas men’s golf season officially came to an end. It became the fourth consecutive season, and the fourth time under head coach Jamie Bermel, that the Jayhawks were able to qualify for the NCAA Regional. A feat that KU had not accomplished since 2000-03.
KU was able to achieve this feat after putting together nine finishes inside the top five in the team’s 10 regular season tournaments. In the 12 tournaments, KU competed in this season, the Jayhawks didn’t finish outside the top 10 once. This included a first-place finish at The Jackrabbit in the fall (Sept. 30-Oct. 2) where the team finished 19-under (845) and were led by sophomore Harry Hillier who took home won the individual title medal after finishing 11-under (205) for his first collegiate victory of his career.
KU followed up its first-place finish by claiming runner-up at the Big 12 Match Play Championship at the Houston Oaks Golf Club. En route to the finals, Kansas defeated Texas Tech and TCU and tied West Virginia in the early rounds. Via a tiebreaker, the Jayhawks then defeated top-ranked Oklahoma State in the semifinals before falling to Baylor in the title match.
In the spring the Jayhawks continued to thrive as they placed inside the top three in five straight tournaments before the start of postseason play.
Senior Charlie Hillier and Harry Hillier finished as two of the Jayhawk’s most consistent performers of the season. In the 12 tournaments, one of them finished as the team’s top performer in nine events. Both also claimed their first collegiate individual titles this season. While Harry got his at The Jackrabbit, Charlie Hillier claimed his at the Hootie at Bulls Bay Intercollegiate (March 24-26). He finished the tournament 13-under (203) and posted three straight rounds under 70.
The Jayhawks finished with a combined total of 80 rounds even or under par from eight different golfers. Harry Hillier led the team with 17, followed by Charlie Hillier with 16 and junior Andy Spencerwith 15 to round out the top three.
Kansas also walked home this season with four Jayhawks being named to the Academic All-Big 12 team with three first-team selections in Charlie Hillier, Spencer and sophomore Ben Sigel and one second-team honoree in redshirt sophomore Drew Shepherd. Meanwhile, associate head coach Chris Wilson also finished as a finalist for the 2019 Jan Strickland Outstanding Assistant Coach Award.
Seniors Charlie Hillier and Jake Scarrow have now graduated, so moving into next season the Jayhawks will be bringing in four new faces next season in Luke Kluver, Sion Audrain, William Duquette and Hank Lierz.
