By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director

SALEM, Ore. -- The Willamette University men's golf team received votes in the first Bushnell Golfweek Coaches Poll for NCAA Division III released on Friday, Feb. 19. The Bearcats will begin their spring season this weekend at the Willamette Cup hosted by Linfield College on Feb. 27 and Feb. 28.

Willamette was credited with 10 points the poll. Defending Northwest Conference champion Whitworth University, who edged out the Bearcats for the conference title last season, received 7 points in the poll. The cutoff for the Top 25 in the most recent poll was 43 points.

Methodist College (N.C.) was ranked #1 in Division III with 395 points and 12 first place votes. Berry College (Ga.) was #2 with 378 points and two votes for first place. University of St. Thomas (Minn.) was listed at #3 with 354 points and the remaining two first place votes. Oglethorpe University (Ga.) held the #4 ranking with 351 points, while Wittenberg University (Ohio) was #5 with 338 points.

The Bearcats won the Pacific Fall Invitational and the Whitworth Invitational during the fall semester, and tied for first at the PLU Invitational. Willamette placed second at the NWC Fall Classic.

Trent Jones (Fr., Kenmore, WA/Shorecrest HS) of Willamette won the individual title at the Pacific Fall Invitational, was second at the Whitworth Invitatoinal and placed third at the PLU Invitational. Clark Wilson (Jr., Ocean Park, WA/Ilwaco HS) of Willamette took first place at the Whitworth Invitational.

During the Fall Classic, Steven Rodriguez (Sr., Red Bluff, CA/Mercy HS) placed third, Peter Mitzel (Jr., Red Bluff, CA/Red Bluff HS) took fourth and Chase Lamothe (Sr., Corvallis, OR/Corvallis HS) placed seventh.