For the first time since 2013, the men’s golf team will be making a trip to the NAIA National Men’s Golf Championships. This year, the event will take place at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Ill., Tuesday through Friday. The team headed out to the tournament on Saturday and played a practice round on Sunday and will again today, to prepare for the start of the tournament on Tuesday. They will be paired with Dalton College and William Jessup University for a first-round 9:10 a.m. start on Tuesday. On day two, the teams will tee off at 1:40 p.m. Top finishers will continue playing Thursday-Friday.
One integral Saint, who did not travel with the team, however, was Christopher Schriedel. He had an important date to make yesterday – graduation. The team’s three-time RRAC scholar athlete, NAIA Scholar Athlete, multiple Dean’s List recipient and team captain walked the stage at OLLU’s commencement to receive a Bachelor of Business Administration in Management. As soon as he received his diploma, he made another stop, to the hospital to visit his ailing father, who is battling cancer. Schriedel headed to the airport this morning for a solo flight to Illinois to join his teammates. “I am absolutely honored to have been a part of a university that emphasized ‘family’ in sports and the classroom,” Schriedel said. “Being my senior year and finally reaching nationals, I have had an endless amount of emotions running through my head as these last few weeks have transpired. All the great friends that I made here will never be forgotten, and it is sad that I will not be able to be a part of this family the same way I have been the last three years.
“It was definitely joyous knowing that God has allowed me to prosper this much and has given me the tools to succeed in the next stage of my life. It was great seeing my OLLU family all together one last time before we all venture out. I wish the best to everyone in everything that they do in life and want to remind them to keep God first because without him none of this would be possible.”