Hocker Named All-Central Region
Webster University freshman Will Hocker (Grapevine, Texas/University of Oklahoma) made history Tuesday evening as he was named a First-Team Division III PING All-Central Region selection during the Golf Coaches Association of America banquet held following the weather-suspended first round of the NCAA Division III National Championships at the Grandover Resort.
With his selection, Hocker becomes the first-ever Webster men's golfer and the first-ever men's golfer from the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference to earn All-Region honors from the GCAA. Hocker was one of 15 players named to the PING All-Central Region Team.
"What a tremendous honor not only for Will, but also for the Webster University men's golf program," Webster head coach Andrew Belsky said about Hocker's honor.
Hocker, who was named both the SLIAC Player and Newcomer of the Year this season, earns his PING All-Central Region honor after posting a 73.76 scoring average in 21 rounds and nine events entering the NCAA Division III National Championships. On the season, he has had six Top 10 finishes, including taking home medalist honors three times, including at the SLIAC Championships. In addition, he won medalist honors at the season-opening Culver's Edgewood College Fall Classic and also at the Rhodes College Fall Classic. Hocker, who is currently ranked 63rd in the latest Golfstat Division III player rankings, has had seven rounds of par or better golf on the season, including a team-low round of 66 (6-under) in the second round of the Rhodes College Fall Classic. In fact, Hocker has recorded the five lowest rounds this season by a Gorlok golfer. He also finished inside the Top 14 in five of his nine events and posted a combined record og 624-113 on the season.
Joining Hocker on the PING All-Central Region men's golf team are Gustavus Adolphus' Alec Aunan, Bethel's (Minn.) Noah Bragg, Augsburg's Brett Buckingham, Luther's Joe Fewer, St. Thomas' (Minn.) Emmet Herb, Wisconsin-Eau Claire's Ryan Isaacson, Illinois Wesleyan's Ben Johnson, Saint John's (Minn.) Matt Lutz, Carthage's Matt Meneghetti, Illinois Wesleyan's Jonathan Nocek, Saint John's (Minn.) Sam Olson, St. Thomas' (Minn.) Pete Sienko and Illinois Wesleyan's Ryan Wuethrich.
Hocker and the Gorloks opened up play in the play in the NCAA Division III National Championships on the Grandover Resort's East Course on Tuesday. The Gorloks, who played with Stevenson and North Carolina Wesleyan's in Tuesday's first round, teed off at 12 p.m. ET and was able to finish between 11 and 16 holes before heavy storms began around 4:30 p.m. ET and force the suspension of the remainder of the first round. Webster will complete the first round on Wednesday beginning at 8 a.m., before beginning Wednesday's regularly scheduled second round with a shotgun start at 11 a.m.
STORY COURTESY OF WEBSTER UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
