Wednesday Was Special, But The Job Isn’t Done Yet
May 05, 2022 | Men's Golf, Sports Extra
By: D. Scott Fritchen
Kansas State head men's golf coach Grant Robbins slept just fine Tuesday night. That's because he knew by the completion of conference tournaments this past weekend that the Wildcats had elevated themselves from potentially anxious moments to standing firmly in the NCAA Regional field. The lack of suspense certainly didn't keep Robbins from excitedly applauding when "Kansas State" appeared on TV screen during the NCAA selection show Wednesday afternoon on Golf Channel.
The Wildcats were officially in. It was time to celebrate.
"We didn't sweat too long," Robbins said, as the Wildcats were a part of the first regional that was announced. "You never know until your name is called, but we felt pretty confident."
The moment had been a long time coming for the Wildcats, who have staged one of their best seasons in program history.
This marks the program's first regional appearance since 2009 and the eighth selection in school history.
"It's been a long time coming for this program," Robbins said, "and this is where we expected to be."
This time last year, K-State freshman Laurenz Schiergen didn't envision himself in purple. But the native of Cologne, Germany, who arrived prior to the spring semester, celebrated the NCAA Tournament bid in his purple windbreaker and black golfer's cap with Willie Wildcat swinging a golf club while sitting with his teammates to watch the selection show at the Shamrock Zone at Bramlage Coliseum.
"Especially coming here in January and directly making it to Regionals at K-State is big," Schiergen said. "We hadn't been to the tournament in several years. To make it in the first year, there's definitely a lot of pride.
"We're happy to be in the Regionals to show what we can do."
The 20-year-old Schiergen leads the team with a 72.33 stroke average, which is on pace to finish ninth in school history. Schiergen spent the past two years playing golf while serving in the German military. When he decided to pursue college, one of his childhood closest friends, K-State junior Tim Tillmanns, tried to convince Schiergen to join him in Manhattan.
"I texted him," Tillmanns said, "and I wouldn't stop annoying him until he finally committed."
Schiergen's addition has worked out nicely. But he's hardly alone in helping the squad to this point. Senior Will Hopkins owns a stroke average of 72.40 with five top-20 finishes, and Tillmanns is third at 72.63 and a team-high six top 20 finishes. Sophomore Luke O'Neill averages 72.96 and became the first Wildcat since 2019 to win an individual championship when he tied for first place at the Colleton River Collegiate in March.
"(Schiergen) made a huge difference for us," Robbins said. "He gave us a boost. In college golf, you have five guys and it's hard to get all five really clicking at the same time. When one man struggled, someone else picked it up. That's what helped us. We had some top-5 finishes and beat some ranked teams, and that's what got us into the mix.
"We had Tim, who was rock solid all fall and the first part of the spring, then Luke got a win, and Laurenz finished top 5 at Mississippi State and Nick had a really good conference tournament and Will played really good at Iowa. They all did a really good job for us."
Down the stretch of the regular season, Schiergen finished 6-under par to tie for fourth place at the Mossy Oak Invitational on April 12. Five days later, Hopkins fired a 1-under to tie for eighth place at the Hawkeye Invitational.
"It's been a long road," Hopkins said. "Thinking through all the changes we've been through in terms of personnel, in terms of culture, it's great to finally achieve this goal. I didn't want to leave my time here and not make it to regionals, so I'm just so delighted."
The top five teams and the top individual not on an advancing team will move on to the 2022 National Championship in Scottsdale, Arizona, in late May.
"Our job is not done yet," Robbins said. "We're ready to go to Norman and play well and advance and compete for a national championship. That's what we're here for."
Tillmanns, who competed as an individual in the NCAA Stillwater Regional a year ago, vowed in March to help ensure the Wildcats came along with him to a regional this time around.
Mission complete.
"It just shows that we all put in a lot of hard work and now it's paying off," Tillmanns said. "It's amazing. Everyone has put in their heart and soul every day. This is what comes with it. Good things come with hard work."
The hard work officially began when K-State finished in second place at the Wildcat Invitational at Colbert Hills Golf Course on September 14. The Wildcats closed out the fall with a fifth-place finish in the Steelwood Collegiate in Loxley, Alabama, on October 31.
The Wildcats' charge through the spring began with a fourth-place finish at the Mobile Bay Intercollegiate in Mobile, Alabama, on February 15.
"From the start, the team gave me a good feeling," Schiergen said. "We knew we were good enough to make it, and we steadily improved over the whole spring. We're happy to be in the regionals and show what we can do."
Tillmanns wore a grin as he sat around his teammates at 3:10 p.m. The Wildcats officially learned of their selection just moments before at the top of the telecast. The potential day of suspense instead was a pleasant day of celebration.
And now the Wildcats eagerly await their opportunity to keep one of their best seasons in history going.
"I mean, this is our first time in 13 years we've been to the regionals, and it's just an amazing feeling to know we're in," Tillmanns said. "We've done great things this year. Wearing the Powercat, you're representing more than yourself. You're representing a whole university.
"I'm very proud to be wearing the Powercat."
Kansas State head men's golf coach Grant Robbins slept just fine Tuesday night. That's because he knew by the completion of conference tournaments this past weekend that the Wildcats had elevated themselves from potentially anxious moments to standing firmly in the NCAA Regional field. The lack of suspense certainly didn't keep Robbins from excitedly applauding when "Kansas State" appeared on TV screen during the NCAA selection show Wednesday afternoon on Golf Channel.
The Wildcats were officially in. It was time to celebrate.
"We didn't sweat too long," Robbins said, as the Wildcats were a part of the first regional that was announced. "You never know until your name is called, but we felt pretty confident."
K-State was selected to compete in the NCAA Norman Regional. The Wildcats are the No. 11 seed in the regional and will compete May 16 through 18 at the Jimmie Austin OU Golf Club at the University of Oklahoma.Next stop: Norman📍#KStateMGOLF x #NCAAGolf pic.twitter.com/0EFCSP7NXn
— K-State Men's Golf (@KStateMGolf) May 4, 2022
The moment had been a long time coming for the Wildcats, who have staged one of their best seasons in program history.
This marks the program's first regional appearance since 2009 and the eighth selection in school history.
"It's been a long time coming for this program," Robbins said, "and this is where we expected to be."
This time last year, K-State freshman Laurenz Schiergen didn't envision himself in purple. But the native of Cologne, Germany, who arrived prior to the spring semester, celebrated the NCAA Tournament bid in his purple windbreaker and black golfer's cap with Willie Wildcat swinging a golf club while sitting with his teammates to watch the selection show at the Shamrock Zone at Bramlage Coliseum.
"Especially coming here in January and directly making it to Regionals at K-State is big," Schiergen said. "We hadn't been to the tournament in several years. To make it in the first year, there's definitely a lot of pride.
"We're happy to be in the Regionals to show what we can do."
The 20-year-old Schiergen leads the team with a 72.33 stroke average, which is on pace to finish ninth in school history. Schiergen spent the past two years playing golf while serving in the German military. When he decided to pursue college, one of his childhood closest friends, K-State junior Tim Tillmanns, tried to convince Schiergen to join him in Manhattan.
"I texted him," Tillmanns said, "and I wouldn't stop annoying him until he finally committed."
Schiergen's addition has worked out nicely. But he's hardly alone in helping the squad to this point. Senior Will Hopkins owns a stroke average of 72.40 with five top-20 finishes, and Tillmanns is third at 72.63 and a team-high six top 20 finishes. Sophomore Luke O'Neill averages 72.96 and became the first Wildcat since 2019 to win an individual championship when he tied for first place at the Colleton River Collegiate in March.
"(Schiergen) made a huge difference for us," Robbins said. "He gave us a boost. In college golf, you have five guys and it's hard to get all five really clicking at the same time. When one man struggled, someone else picked it up. That's what helped us. We had some top-5 finishes and beat some ranked teams, and that's what got us into the mix.
"We had Tim, who was rock solid all fall and the first part of the spring, then Luke got a win, and Laurenz finished top 5 at Mississippi State and Nick had a really good conference tournament and Will played really good at Iowa. They all did a really good job for us."
Down the stretch of the regular season, Schiergen finished 6-under par to tie for fourth place at the Mossy Oak Invitational on April 12. Five days later, Hopkins fired a 1-under to tie for eighth place at the Hawkeye Invitational.
"It's been a long road," Hopkins said. "Thinking through all the changes we've been through in terms of personnel, in terms of culture, it's great to finally achieve this goal. I didn't want to leave my time here and not make it to regionals, so I'm just so delighted."
The Norman Regional features No. 1 Oklahoma, No. 2 Texas, No. 3 Auburn, No. 4 South Carolina, No. 5 Ole Miss, No. 6 Louisville, No. 7 Missouri, No. 8 San Diego State, No. 9 Utah, No. 10 Kent State, No. 12 UT Martin and No. 13 Rider.Jobs not done#KStateMGOLF x #NCAAGolf pic.twitter.com/538mv8ZAGK
— K-State Men's Golf (@KStateMGolf) May 5, 2022
The top five teams and the top individual not on an advancing team will move on to the 2022 National Championship in Scottsdale, Arizona, in late May.
"Our job is not done yet," Robbins said. "We're ready to go to Norman and play well and advance and compete for a national championship. That's what we're here for."
Tillmanns, who competed as an individual in the NCAA Stillwater Regional a year ago, vowed in March to help ensure the Wildcats came along with him to a regional this time around.
Mission complete.
"It just shows that we all put in a lot of hard work and now it's paying off," Tillmanns said. "It's amazing. Everyone has put in their heart and soul every day. This is what comes with it. Good things come with hard work."
The hard work officially began when K-State finished in second place at the Wildcat Invitational at Colbert Hills Golf Course on September 14. The Wildcats closed out the fall with a fifth-place finish in the Steelwood Collegiate in Loxley, Alabama, on October 31.
The Wildcats' charge through the spring began with a fourth-place finish at the Mobile Bay Intercollegiate in Mobile, Alabama, on February 15.
"From the start, the team gave me a good feeling," Schiergen said. "We knew we were good enough to make it, and we steadily improved over the whole spring. We're happy to be in the regionals and show what we can do."
Tillmanns wore a grin as he sat around his teammates at 3:10 p.m. The Wildcats officially learned of their selection just moments before at the top of the telecast. The potential day of suspense instead was a pleasant day of celebration.
And now the Wildcats eagerly await their opportunity to keep one of their best seasons in history going.
"I mean, this is our first time in 13 years we've been to the regionals, and it's just an amazing feeling to know we're in," Tillmanns said. "We've done great things this year. Wearing the Powercat, you're representing more than yourself. You're representing a whole university.
"I'm very proud to be wearing the Powercat."
Players Mentioned
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